Headphones & Headphone Accessories
Editor's Note: We strongly recommend those interested in headphone listening visit our sister website, www.InnerFidelity.com, which is edited by Rafe Arnott.
A+
Focal Utopia Reference: $3999
The fully open-backed, circumaural Focal Utopias are designed around proprietary beryllium-dome full-range drivers that, uniquely, have no voice-coil formers: each coil is fastened directly to its dome, in a crease near its surround. The yokes are made of carbon fiber, and the earcups and headband are covered with lambskin. HR described the Utopias as capable of producing "a gut-level realism that is rare in high-end audio," adding that the Focals are "lightning-fast, extremely open, and profoundly uncolored." (Vol.39 No.10, Vol.41 No.6 WWW) HiFiMan Susvara headphones: $6000
The HiFiMan Susvaras are over-the-ear headphones with planar-magnetic drivers, built around gold-coated Nanometer Grade diaphragms—their thinnest ever, the company claims. The drivers also use HiFiMan's Stealth Magnet grids, the individual magnetic strips of which have rounded edges to reduce interference with sound output. The Susvaras weigh 15.9oz, and offer an impedance of 60 ohms and a sensitivity of only 83dB. (Vol.40 No.12 WWW)
JPS Labs Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC: $4995–$7995
For those who regard the JPS Abyss AB-1266 Phi headphones as prohibitively expensive, HR offers perspective by suggesting that they, like such "notorious legacy products" as the Wilson Audio WAMM loudspeaker of 1983 and the Audio Note Ongaku amplifier of 1993, "exist in categories of price and performance all their own." The Abyss 'phones are built into black-anodized aluminum frames, and use single-magnet planar-magnetic drivers, separated from the wearer by rotatable lambskin earpads held in place with magnets. Specs include an 88dB sensitivity and an impedance of 42 ohms. After listening to a Schoenberg piece through the Abysses driven by the Woo WA5 headphone amp, HR observed: "I scribbled the phrase perfectly natural several times. I never felt more kindred or connected to Schoenberg." He also suggested that the Abysses "delivered detail and soundstage images with an uncannily visual—nay, infinite—depth of field." (Vol.40 No.8 WWW) Raal-requisite SR-1a: $3499
Described by HR as headphones that will satisfy "headphone connoisseurs and stubborn contrarians" alike, the off-the-ear RAAL-Requisite SR1a's have a physical design that prevents them from covering or putting pressure on your pinnae: Their sound character is not determined in any way by a padded acoustical chamber around the listener's ears. Electrically, the SR1a's are built using open-baffle ribbon drivers, the very low impedance of which force the need for an impedance-matching box (included) and a 50–150Wpc loudspeaker amplifier (not included). Herb had his best results driving the RAAL-Requisite 'phones with solid-state amps, and said of the SR1a/Pass XA25 amp combo, "No matter what hi-fi you have, it's unlikely to dig deeper and find more beauty in your recordings." (Vo.43 No.1 WWW) ZMF Auteur LTD: $1699.99
See HR's review in this issue. ZMF Pendant: $1999.99
See HR's review in this issue. ZMF Vérité Closed: $2499.99
See HR's review in this issue. A Audeze LCD-X: $1699
These large, luxurious, circumaural headphones have planar-magnetic drive-units with a thin-film diaphragm energized by arrays of powerful neodymium magnets on both sides. They employ Audeze-patented Fazor elements, claimed to guide and manage the flow of sound in the headphone. The circular drivers are housed in polished, black-anodized aluminum earpieces cushioned with generously sized foam pads covered in lambskin or leather-free microsuede. Adjustment is via notched, chromed metal rods attached to each earpiece, which fit into the sprung, leather-clad headband. The LCD-Xes produced a seductive, compelling overall sound, with precise imaging, rich mids, smooth highs, and clean bass, said JA. Compared to his longtime reference Sennheiser HD650s, the LCD-Xes resolved more detail, produced the more convincing sense of recorded ambience, and provided deeper bass. "Highly recommended!" JA concluded. "Creator Special" edition (without travel case) costs $1199. (Vol.37 No.3, Vol.41 No.6 WWW)
Audeze LCDi4: $2495
Essentially a cost-no-object version of Audeze's iSine in-ear headphones, the LCDi4 uses planar-magnetic drivers: ultrathin, 30mm diaphragms bonded to the company's patented Uniforce voice-coils (in which a slow-deposited metal layer is micro-etched to form the signal coil) suspended within the field of a Fluxor magnet array. Each driver is enclosed in a roughly hexagonal magnesium casing and coupled to the user's ear by means of a tapered tube, the end of which is fitted with an interchangeable eartip; spare eartips of different sizes are supplied, prompting Audeze to claim for the LCDi4 a "universal fit." The impedance is 35 ohms, and a 105dB sensitivity is claimed. Used with the Pass Laboratories HPA-1 headphone amplifier, the LCDi4s impressed JA with a combination of low-frequency clarity and bass extension "unexpected for in-ear headphones"—and when driven by an Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty DAC, the Audezes offered spatial realism from binaural recordings and further impressed with their "lack of mid-treble aggression." Also lacking was any useful degree of isolation from external sounds, making the LCDi4s unsuitable for private listening in public spaces. (Vol.40 No.12 WWW) Feliks Audio Euforia: $2599 $$$
Built in Poland, the Euforia Mark II is an output transformer-less (OTL) headphone amp that uses 6AS7G dual-triodes as output tubes and 6SN7 dual-triodes as small-signal tubes. The Euforia has a single pair of (RCA) inputs and a single 0.25" output jack. The amp is specified by its manufacturer as offering 0.13Wpc into 32 ohms and 0.2Wpc into 100 ohms. Herb said the Euforia Mark II made the Grado GS3000e headphones sound "more transparent and satisfying" than the other headphone amps he had on hand; he further observed that "the Euforia's radiant liquidity enhanced [the Focal Clears'] sense of flow and resolve." (Vol.42 No.12 WWW) Focal Clear: $1499
Described by HR as "Focal's newest, handsomest, most comfortable, and, perhaps, most musically satisfying headphones," the Clears are dynamic, circumaural, and open-backed, built on a solid aluminum yoke with a soft leather headband. They use the same 40mm aluminum-magnesium domes and formerless voice-coils as the 33%-less-expensive Focal Elears, yet here those coils are pure copper rather than copper-clad aluminum; their impedance is 55 ohms, their sensitivity 104dB—clearly drivable by an iPhone. Three cords are included: one with an XLR for balanced use, one with a 1/4" plug, and one with a 3.5mm plug. According to HR, with the Clears, "large-scale dynamics operated in marvelous ways," and they avoided the occasional glare experienced with Focal's flagship 'phones, the Utopias. For pure listening pleasure, the "absolutely comfortable, museum-quality-beautiful" Clears are Herb's "real-world reference." "Springy cord is a hassle to manage," notes JI. (Vol.41 No.6 WWW)
Grado GS3000e: $1799 $$$
Grado's flagship "Statement Series" headphones, the made-in-Brooklyn GS3000e, feature 50mm Mylar drivers built with neodymium magnets and present the driving amplifier with an impedance of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 99.8dB. According to HR, when driven with a complementary amplifier, the Grados impress with their "swaggering rock'n'roll boogie factor," but they can also sound "elegant and refined." As a bonus, the Grados "look and feel more expensive than [their] price would suggest." (Vol.42 No.12 WWW) HifiMan Shangri-La Jr: $8000 with energizer
For less than one-sixth the price of HiFiMan's flagship electrostatic headphone set, the Shangri-La ($50,000, including amplifier/energizer), you can own the Shangri-La Jr, whose companion amp/energizer uses a quartet of 6SN7 dual-triode tubes and provides two output ports for shared listening. HR praised the Jr for presenting and preserving vocal tones and textures, and noted its uncanny way with subtle details: "I heard the full Doppler effect of cars shifting gears as they passed [the recording venue]," he wrote, declaring that "this level of vibrant resolution makes the Shangri-La Jrs' $8000 price seem reasonable." The headphones are available separately for $4000, the amp/energizer for $5000. (Vol.42 No.6 WWW) Sennheiser HD 650: $499.95
The HD 650s are an evolution of Sennheiser's very successful HD 600 open-back dynamic headphones, claimed to provide superior results due to hand-selected parts with closer tolerances and the use of a specially developed acoustic silk for the driver diaphragms. Compared to the Grado SR325i, the Sennheisers sounded richer but slightly darker. JM found that their very effective seal created a resonant cavity that produced "bass that is both quite deep and a trifle indistinct." JA's new reference cans. Compared to the Audeze LCD-Xes, the HD650s had a similar overall sound, but lacked bass control, detail resolution, and ambience retrieval, said JA. (Vol.28 No.6, Vol.31 No.9, Vol.37 No.3 WWW)
Shure KSE1200SYS electrostatic in-ear headphone system: $1999
A less-expensive alternative to Shure's KSE1500 in-ear headphone system ($2999—see elsewhere in "Recommended Components"), the KSE1200SYS uses the same electrostatic transducers, driven by an amplifier/power supply with only a single (analog) input. Acoustic output is coupled to the user's ear via a small tube, covered with a detachable Soft Flex rubber sleeve to seal the ear canal. (A supplied Fit Kit provides pairs of sleeves in different sizes—something for everyone!) The accompanying amplifier is about the size of a deck of cards, and sports a 3.5mm analog input jack, a volume control, and a Lemo connector for the Kevlar-shielded cable, which carries the transducers' polarizing voltage alongside the high-voltage (±200V) audio signal. JA praised the pocketability of the new system's slightly smaller amp, not to mention the comfort of those Soft Flex sleeves. More important, he noted the "superb clarity" of the Shure system's midrange and its "extended, weighty low frequencies," adding that the KSE1500s' slightly bright balance was nowhere to be heard from the KSE1200SYS. JA's conclusion: "a must-hear product." (Vol.42 No.3 WWW) Sony Signature MDR-Z1R: $1999.99
An example of the sort of very-low-distortion headphone design that HR calls the studio sound aesthetic, the MDR-Z1Rs are part of Sony's new Signature line, alongside their Signature TA-ZH1ES DACheadphone amp (also profiled in this edition of "Recommended Components"). They include Sony's latest 70mm drive-unit, which features a 30μm-thick magnesium dome surrounded by an edge-ringlet of aluminum-coated, liquid-crystal polymer. (Impedance is 64 ohms.) These are built into earpieces comprising outer domes of chromium-plated stainless-steel mesh and inner domes of "breathable" Japanese paper, the latter said to act as an acoustic filter to damp the drivers' back waves. Leather and sheepskin respectively cover the headband and earpads, and two cables are provided: a 3m single-ended cable fitted with a 3.5mm plug, and a 1m balanced cable with the special 4.4mm plug that mates with the Signature TA-ZH1ES, which HR used for "about a third of" his listening. Herb praised the MDR-Z1Rs as being not only "the most natural-fitting, fatigue-free" headphones he's ever used, but also, "by far, the most naturally transparent and open-sounding of any closed-back headphones I know." (Vol.40 No.6 WWW) Sony Signature TA-ZH1ES: $2199.99
Inside the Signature TA-ZH1ES headphone amplifier is a DAC whose performance stretches all the way to 32-bit/768kHz PCM, plus native DSD up to 22.4MHz. But it's the Sony's outside—specifically, its front panel—that most shoppers will notice first: a row of six outputs, including three balanced (XLR4, 4.4mm JEITA, and separate left- and right-channel 3.5mm jacks) and two single-ended (6.3mm and 3.5mm). In his listening tests, HR found that the TA-ZH1ES "excelled at bass drive, boogie, and bounce," and sounded "darker but no less transparent than either the Linear Tube Audio microZOTL2.0 or Pass Labs HPA-1 headphone amps." He also praised the Sony for a "hypnotizing, deep-sea, looking-into-the-abyss spatial perspective that got darker and denser as it descended (or ascended) into infinite space." (Vol.40 No.6 WWW)
Woo Audio WA5 (2nd Gen): $5899
Described as a line-level integrated amplifier for headphones and loudspeakers (the latter must be able to get by on just 10Wpc into 8 ohms), the Woo WA5 uses, per channel, one 300B triode tube running in single-ended mode and driven by one 6SN7 dual-triode tube; a pair of 5U4G rectifier tubes straighten out the AC in this two-chassis, dual-mono, hand-wired design. Switches abound: for selecting between high and low output power, high- and low-impedance headphones, and headphones and loudspeakers. After harnessing the Woo to a variety of loads, HR declared it "a Darwinian step toward a new renaissance of audio humanism." It also sounds good—especially with less-sensitive, higher-impedance headphones such as Audeze's LCD-4s, which, according to Herb, the Woo drove "in a more satisfying fashion than any other headphone amplifier I've heard." After measuring the WA5, JA expressed reservations about its suitability as a driver of loudspeakers, but conceded that, for a single-ended amplifier, the Woo "performed better than I expected." (Vol.40 No.1 WWW) B AudioQuest DragonFly Red: $199.95 $$$
AudioQuest DragonFly Black: $99.95 $$$
AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt: $299.95
In 2016, AudioQuest replaced their original DragonFly USB D/A processor-headphone amplifier with two new models—the DragonFly Black and DragonFly Red. Like their popular forebear, both models were designed by computer-audio pioneer Gordon Rankin, and both offer 24 bit/96kHz resolution. AD wrote of preferring the DragonFly Black's "superior musical incisiveness" compared to the original 'Fly of 2012; for its part, the Red, which has higher output voltage than the Black, offered "surer reproduction of pitches and timing." But he felt that, for headphone listening with an iPhone, there's no sense opting for the twice-as-expensive Red if that's all the consumer has in mind. The new (2019) DragonFly Cobalt boasts a faster microcontroller and a newer processor chip (the ESS ES9038Q2M), plus improved power-supply filtering. When used in his home system, the Cobalt impressed JA with better bass extension and control than the Red, which also sounded "slightly 'harder' in the highs"—although he also noted that the distinctions between the two tiny DACs were "relatively small." JA the Measurer, who in 2016 noted that neither the Red nor the Black were at the head of the class in terms of jitter rejection, observed "excellent rejection of word-clock jitter" from the Cobalt, which he praised for "[performing] well on the test bench." JA adds some remarkable praise for a $300 DAC: except for its limited ability to drive low impedances, the Cobalt would be Class A. (Vol.39 No.9, Vol.42 No.12 WWW) AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon: $399.95
According to HR, at the opposite end of the spectrum from Sony's MDR-Z1R headphones and their Apollonian studio sound aesthetic are AudioQuest's more Dionysian NightOwl Carbons, which use the same drivers as AQ's NightHawks, but in aperiodically vented rather than semi-open earpieces. (That driver is a 50mm biocellulose dome with a rubber surround.) The 99dB-sensitive, 25 ohm NightOwls also have the same "liquid wood" earcups, although here they sport not a faux-burled wood finish but dark-gray metalflake paint. How do the $699.99 NightOwl Carbons stack up against the $499.99 NightHawks? According to HR, "If you're one of those who thought the original NightHawks sounded too dark, you can now rejoice: properly broken-in, the NightOwls beguilingly straddled the lines between dark and light, hard and soft." Herb's conclusion: "If I were now forced to live with just one set of headphones, they would be AudioQuest's NightOwl Carbons." (Vol.40 No.6 WWW)
Dan Clark Audio Æon: $799.99
Formerly branded Mr.=Speakers, the Æons are closed-back headphones built around planar-magnetic drivers with pleated diaphragms, which the company says improves pistonic motion. These drivers are contained within padded, teardrop-shaped earpieces sealed with carbon-fiber backs. The skeletal headband comprises a leather strap and two hoops of nitinol, which sounds like a sleep aid but is actually a "memory alloy" that, after being deformed, returns to its original shape when reheated. Sensitivity is 93dB and impedance is stated as 13 ohms—the latter spec confirmed in measurements by JA, who noted the need for a headphone amp "capable of delivering enough current into such a load." When using the Æons with the headphone jack of his Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty DAC, JA heard some mid-treble emphasis but found the sound "otherwise smooth, with an uncolored midrange." He also noted that, after installing in their earcups the two thin foam pads supplied with the Æons for that purpose, "low frequencies were in better balance with the midrange." JA's conclusion: "the Æons have opened my ears to what can be achieved with closed-back headphones." (Vol.41 No.3 WWW) HifiMan Jade 2: $2499 with energizer
A successor to the Jade—HiFiMan's first electrostatic headphone set—the Jade II weighs just 12.9oz (365gm) and comes with a solid-state amplifier/energizer. HR found the Jade II's sound to be "cool, clean, and well sorted" but lacking in the bass depth, grainlessness, and clarity of the company's more expensive electrostatic headphone set, the Shangri-La Jr. Using the Shangri-La Jr's tubed amp/energizer to drive the Jade IIs restored some, but not all, of the charms of the higher-priced set, HR noted. The Jade II headphones are available separately for $1399, their solid-state amp/energizer for $1599. (Vol.42 No.6 WWW) iFi Audio Pro iDSD 4.4 D/A processor/headphone amplifier: $2749
See "Digital Preocessors." ifi Pro iCAN: $1799
Despite being burdened with "switchy doodads" such as a switch that allows the user to select between Solid-State, Tube, and Tube+ sounds, an analog-domain bass-correction system, and a choice of three different 3D Holographic Matrix circuits, the fully solid-state iFi Pro iCAN headphone amplifier had some features that HR did like, including three different levels of gain and choices of single-ended or balanced inputs and outputs. Better still, Herb found that "the Pro iCAN played recordings in an unusually appealing manner." In fact, he found that with every associated D/A processor he tried, "the Pro iCAN was never sonically outclassed, and never the weak link." That said, as good as it is, the iFi headphone amp did not impress HR as offering the ultimate in value. (Vol.40 No.6 WWW)
C
Grado SR60e: $79 $$$ ★
The original SR60 offered a rather dark-toned balance, with a full bass and excellent resolution of detail. A more forward midrange, however. Uncomfortable. Upgrades from the original SR60 include a new driver and improved cables. While maintaining the original's freedom from obvious colorations and resonances, the SR60i went a bit deeper in the bass and had a slightly more vivid midrange for a more involving overall sound. "The SR60i is modestly better than the original, and remains one of audio's great bargains," said JCA. (Vol.17 Nos.6 & 10 WWW, original, Vol.33 No.4 WWW) Hagerman Audio Labs Tuba: $649
See HR's review in this issue. Koss PortaPro: $49.99 $$$
Imagine 60-ohm, 101dB-sensitive, perfectionist-quality 'phones that fold up small, clip together, and fit in your pocket. Imagine silver-dollar-size earpieces with easily replaceable foam earpads that rest gently on your pinnae. Imagine flying down a hill on your bike while grooving—and I do mean grooving—to your favorite music. Imagine that the ca-1979 Koss Porta Pro headphones are back again and sell for only $49.95 per pair. As it happens, and as HR reported in the June 2018 Stereophile, it's all true. (Vol.41 No.6 WWW) Meze Audio 99 Classic: $309
The Romanian-engineered, Chinese-made Meze 99 Classics are closed-back, circumaural headphones that feature Mylar-cone drivers, machined-walnut earcups, synthetic leather-covered earpads and headband, and a clever frame design that KM found comfortable. Standard accessories include a 4' remote-equipped cable for travel, a 9' cable for home use, and a resealable faux-velvet pouch. KM praised their "slightly buttoned-down sound," which he found to be more neutral than that of the AudioQuest NightHawks, although the latter provided a more "immersive" experience. JA measured the Mezes and found their impedance to be "relatively low" and thus needful of a current-capable amplifier—and after listening to the 99 Classics, he suggested that their low-frequency balance was "somewhat exaggerated." (Vol.42 No.6 WWW)
No Class Distinction
Shure Bluetooth 5.0 Earphone Communication Cable: $119
Intended as a convenience accessory for Shure in-ear headphones, the company's Bluetooth 5.0 Earphone Communication Cable plugs into the two earpieces, replacing their original cable, and dangles down to approximately mid-sternum, where it terminates in a Bluetooth receiver/DAC that's roughly the size of a USB flash drive, and that opens to reveal a USB-B Micro jack for charging. (Estimated playing time: up to 10 hours.) AptX, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency, AAC, and SBC codecs are all supported. Used with a pair of Shure SE535 in-ear headphones, the Bluetooth 5.0 cable impressed JA with AAC-encoded sound that was "[not] as inferior as I'd expected" on classical music, with only slight congestion that, much of the time, "wasn't an issue." Hard-driving rock fared slightly less well. (Vol.42 No.3 WWW) K Dan Clark Voce electrostatic, Linear Tube Audio Z10e, Stax SR-009S, Stax SR-L700. Deletions
Focal Elear discontinued; Master & Dynamic MH40, new versions available, not yet reviewed; Audeze LCD-4, Ayre Codex, Chord Mojo, Hifi Man HE1000, Koss ESP/950, Linear Tube Audio MZ2, Moon by Simaudio 230HAD, Pass Labs HPA-1, Shure KSE1500, not auditioned in a long time; Thinksound ON2, company has ceased operations.
The fully open-backed, circumaural Focal Utopias are designed around proprietary beryllium-dome full-range drivers that, uniquely, have no voice-coil formers: each coil is fastened directly to its dome, in a crease near its surround. The yokes are made of carbon fiber, and the earcups and headband are covered with lambskin. HR described the Utopias as capable of producing "a gut-level realism that is rare in high-end audio," adding that the Focals are "lightning-fast, extremely open, and profoundly uncolored." (Vol.39 No.10, Vol.41 No.6 WWW) HiFiMan Susvara headphones: $6000
The HiFiMan Susvaras are over-the-ear headphones with planar-magnetic drivers, built around gold-coated Nanometer Grade diaphragms—their thinnest ever, the company claims. The drivers also use HiFiMan's Stealth Magnet grids, the individual magnetic strips of which have rounded edges to reduce interference with sound output. The Susvaras weigh 15.9oz, and offer an impedance of 60 ohms and a sensitivity of only 83dB. (Vol.40 No.12 WWW)
For those who regard the JPS Abyss AB-1266 Phi headphones as prohibitively expensive, HR offers perspective by suggesting that they, like such "notorious legacy products" as the Wilson Audio WAMM loudspeaker of 1983 and the Audio Note Ongaku amplifier of 1993, "exist in categories of price and performance all their own." The Abyss 'phones are built into black-anodized aluminum frames, and use single-magnet planar-magnetic drivers, separated from the wearer by rotatable lambskin earpads held in place with magnets. Specs include an 88dB sensitivity and an impedance of 42 ohms. After listening to a Schoenberg piece through the Abysses driven by the Woo WA5 headphone amp, HR observed: "I scribbled the phrase perfectly natural several times. I never felt more kindred or connected to Schoenberg." He also suggested that the Abysses "delivered detail and soundstage images with an uncannily visual—nay, infinite—depth of field." (Vol.40 No.8 WWW) Raal-requisite SR-1a: $3499
Described by HR as headphones that will satisfy "headphone connoisseurs and stubborn contrarians" alike, the off-the-ear RAAL-Requisite SR1a's have a physical design that prevents them from covering or putting pressure on your pinnae: Their sound character is not determined in any way by a padded acoustical chamber around the listener's ears. Electrically, the SR1a's are built using open-baffle ribbon drivers, the very low impedance of which force the need for an impedance-matching box (included) and a 50–150Wpc loudspeaker amplifier (not included). Herb had his best results driving the RAAL-Requisite 'phones with solid-state amps, and said of the SR1a/Pass XA25 amp combo, "No matter what hi-fi you have, it's unlikely to dig deeper and find more beauty in your recordings." (Vo.43 No.1 WWW) ZMF Auteur LTD: $1699.99
See HR's review in this issue. ZMF Pendant: $1999.99
See HR's review in this issue. ZMF Vérité Closed: $2499.99
See HR's review in this issue. A Audeze LCD-X: $1699
These large, luxurious, circumaural headphones have planar-magnetic drive-units with a thin-film diaphragm energized by arrays of powerful neodymium magnets on both sides. They employ Audeze-patented Fazor elements, claimed to guide and manage the flow of sound in the headphone. The circular drivers are housed in polished, black-anodized aluminum earpieces cushioned with generously sized foam pads covered in lambskin or leather-free microsuede. Adjustment is via notched, chromed metal rods attached to each earpiece, which fit into the sprung, leather-clad headband. The LCD-Xes produced a seductive, compelling overall sound, with precise imaging, rich mids, smooth highs, and clean bass, said JA. Compared to his longtime reference Sennheiser HD650s, the LCD-Xes resolved more detail, produced the more convincing sense of recorded ambience, and provided deeper bass. "Highly recommended!" JA concluded. "Creator Special" edition (without travel case) costs $1199. (Vol.37 No.3, Vol.41 No.6 WWW)
Essentially a cost-no-object version of Audeze's iSine in-ear headphones, the LCDi4 uses planar-magnetic drivers: ultrathin, 30mm diaphragms bonded to the company's patented Uniforce voice-coils (in which a slow-deposited metal layer is micro-etched to form the signal coil) suspended within the field of a Fluxor magnet array. Each driver is enclosed in a roughly hexagonal magnesium casing and coupled to the user's ear by means of a tapered tube, the end of which is fitted with an interchangeable eartip; spare eartips of different sizes are supplied, prompting Audeze to claim for the LCDi4 a "universal fit." The impedance is 35 ohms, and a 105dB sensitivity is claimed. Used with the Pass Laboratories HPA-1 headphone amplifier, the LCDi4s impressed JA with a combination of low-frequency clarity and bass extension "unexpected for in-ear headphones"—and when driven by an Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty DAC, the Audezes offered spatial realism from binaural recordings and further impressed with their "lack of mid-treble aggression." Also lacking was any useful degree of isolation from external sounds, making the LCDi4s unsuitable for private listening in public spaces. (Vol.40 No.12 WWW) Feliks Audio Euforia: $2599 $$$
Built in Poland, the Euforia Mark II is an output transformer-less (OTL) headphone amp that uses 6AS7G dual-triodes as output tubes and 6SN7 dual-triodes as small-signal tubes. The Euforia has a single pair of (RCA) inputs and a single 0.25" output jack. The amp is specified by its manufacturer as offering 0.13Wpc into 32 ohms and 0.2Wpc into 100 ohms. Herb said the Euforia Mark II made the Grado GS3000e headphones sound "more transparent and satisfying" than the other headphone amps he had on hand; he further observed that "the Euforia's radiant liquidity enhanced [the Focal Clears'] sense of flow and resolve." (Vol.42 No.12 WWW) Focal Clear: $1499
Described by HR as "Focal's newest, handsomest, most comfortable, and, perhaps, most musically satisfying headphones," the Clears are dynamic, circumaural, and open-backed, built on a solid aluminum yoke with a soft leather headband. They use the same 40mm aluminum-magnesium domes and formerless voice-coils as the 33%-less-expensive Focal Elears, yet here those coils are pure copper rather than copper-clad aluminum; their impedance is 55 ohms, their sensitivity 104dB—clearly drivable by an iPhone. Three cords are included: one with an XLR for balanced use, one with a 1/4" plug, and one with a 3.5mm plug. According to HR, with the Clears, "large-scale dynamics operated in marvelous ways," and they avoided the occasional glare experienced with Focal's flagship 'phones, the Utopias. For pure listening pleasure, the "absolutely comfortable, museum-quality-beautiful" Clears are Herb's "real-world reference." "Springy cord is a hassle to manage," notes JI. (Vol.41 No.6 WWW)
Grado's flagship "Statement Series" headphones, the made-in-Brooklyn GS3000e, feature 50mm Mylar drivers built with neodymium magnets and present the driving amplifier with an impedance of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 99.8dB. According to HR, when driven with a complementary amplifier, the Grados impress with their "swaggering rock'n'roll boogie factor," but they can also sound "elegant and refined." As a bonus, the Grados "look and feel more expensive than [their] price would suggest." (Vol.42 No.12 WWW) HifiMan Shangri-La Jr: $8000 with energizer
For less than one-sixth the price of HiFiMan's flagship electrostatic headphone set, the Shangri-La ($50,000, including amplifier/energizer), you can own the Shangri-La Jr, whose companion amp/energizer uses a quartet of 6SN7 dual-triode tubes and provides two output ports for shared listening. HR praised the Jr for presenting and preserving vocal tones and textures, and noted its uncanny way with subtle details: "I heard the full Doppler effect of cars shifting gears as they passed [the recording venue]," he wrote, declaring that "this level of vibrant resolution makes the Shangri-La Jrs' $8000 price seem reasonable." The headphones are available separately for $4000, the amp/energizer for $5000. (Vol.42 No.6 WWW) Sennheiser HD 650: $499.95
The HD 650s are an evolution of Sennheiser's very successful HD 600 open-back dynamic headphones, claimed to provide superior results due to hand-selected parts with closer tolerances and the use of a specially developed acoustic silk for the driver diaphragms. Compared to the Grado SR325i, the Sennheisers sounded richer but slightly darker. JM found that their very effective seal created a resonant cavity that produced "bass that is both quite deep and a trifle indistinct." JA's new reference cans. Compared to the Audeze LCD-Xes, the HD650s had a similar overall sound, but lacked bass control, detail resolution, and ambience retrieval, said JA. (Vol.28 No.6, Vol.31 No.9, Vol.37 No.3 WWW)
A less-expensive alternative to Shure's KSE1500 in-ear headphone system ($2999—see elsewhere in "Recommended Components"), the KSE1200SYS uses the same electrostatic transducers, driven by an amplifier/power supply with only a single (analog) input. Acoustic output is coupled to the user's ear via a small tube, covered with a detachable Soft Flex rubber sleeve to seal the ear canal. (A supplied Fit Kit provides pairs of sleeves in different sizes—something for everyone!) The accompanying amplifier is about the size of a deck of cards, and sports a 3.5mm analog input jack, a volume control, and a Lemo connector for the Kevlar-shielded cable, which carries the transducers' polarizing voltage alongside the high-voltage (±200V) audio signal. JA praised the pocketability of the new system's slightly smaller amp, not to mention the comfort of those Soft Flex sleeves. More important, he noted the "superb clarity" of the Shure system's midrange and its "extended, weighty low frequencies," adding that the KSE1500s' slightly bright balance was nowhere to be heard from the KSE1200SYS. JA's conclusion: "a must-hear product." (Vol.42 No.3 WWW) Sony Signature MDR-Z1R: $1999.99
An example of the sort of very-low-distortion headphone design that HR calls the studio sound aesthetic, the MDR-Z1Rs are part of Sony's new Signature line, alongside their Signature TA-ZH1ES DACheadphone amp (also profiled in this edition of "Recommended Components"). They include Sony's latest 70mm drive-unit, which features a 30μm-thick magnesium dome surrounded by an edge-ringlet of aluminum-coated, liquid-crystal polymer. (Impedance is 64 ohms.) These are built into earpieces comprising outer domes of chromium-plated stainless-steel mesh and inner domes of "breathable" Japanese paper, the latter said to act as an acoustic filter to damp the drivers' back waves. Leather and sheepskin respectively cover the headband and earpads, and two cables are provided: a 3m single-ended cable fitted with a 3.5mm plug, and a 1m balanced cable with the special 4.4mm plug that mates with the Signature TA-ZH1ES, which HR used for "about a third of" his listening. Herb praised the MDR-Z1Rs as being not only "the most natural-fitting, fatigue-free" headphones he's ever used, but also, "by far, the most naturally transparent and open-sounding of any closed-back headphones I know." (Vol.40 No.6 WWW) Sony Signature TA-ZH1ES: $2199.99
Inside the Signature TA-ZH1ES headphone amplifier is a DAC whose performance stretches all the way to 32-bit/768kHz PCM, plus native DSD up to 22.4MHz. But it's the Sony's outside—specifically, its front panel—that most shoppers will notice first: a row of six outputs, including three balanced (XLR4, 4.4mm JEITA, and separate left- and right-channel 3.5mm jacks) and two single-ended (6.3mm and 3.5mm). In his listening tests, HR found that the TA-ZH1ES "excelled at bass drive, boogie, and bounce," and sounded "darker but no less transparent than either the Linear Tube Audio microZOTL2.0 or Pass Labs HPA-1 headphone amps." He also praised the Sony for a "hypnotizing, deep-sea, looking-into-the-abyss spatial perspective that got darker and denser as it descended (or ascended) into infinite space." (Vol.40 No.6 WWW)
Described as a line-level integrated amplifier for headphones and loudspeakers (the latter must be able to get by on just 10Wpc into 8 ohms), the Woo WA5 uses, per channel, one 300B triode tube running in single-ended mode and driven by one 6SN7 dual-triode tube; a pair of 5U4G rectifier tubes straighten out the AC in this two-chassis, dual-mono, hand-wired design. Switches abound: for selecting between high and low output power, high- and low-impedance headphones, and headphones and loudspeakers. After harnessing the Woo to a variety of loads, HR declared it "a Darwinian step toward a new renaissance of audio humanism." It also sounds good—especially with less-sensitive, higher-impedance headphones such as Audeze's LCD-4s, which, according to Herb, the Woo drove "in a more satisfying fashion than any other headphone amplifier I've heard." After measuring the WA5, JA expressed reservations about its suitability as a driver of loudspeakers, but conceded that, for a single-ended amplifier, the Woo "performed better than I expected." (Vol.40 No.1 WWW) B AudioQuest DragonFly Red: $199.95 $$$
AudioQuest DragonFly Black: $99.95 $$$
AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt: $299.95
In 2016, AudioQuest replaced their original DragonFly USB D/A processor-headphone amplifier with two new models—the DragonFly Black and DragonFly Red. Like their popular forebear, both models were designed by computer-audio pioneer Gordon Rankin, and both offer 24 bit/96kHz resolution. AD wrote of preferring the DragonFly Black's "superior musical incisiveness" compared to the original 'Fly of 2012; for its part, the Red, which has higher output voltage than the Black, offered "surer reproduction of pitches and timing." But he felt that, for headphone listening with an iPhone, there's no sense opting for the twice-as-expensive Red if that's all the consumer has in mind. The new (2019) DragonFly Cobalt boasts a faster microcontroller and a newer processor chip (the ESS ES9038Q2M), plus improved power-supply filtering. When used in his home system, the Cobalt impressed JA with better bass extension and control than the Red, which also sounded "slightly 'harder' in the highs"—although he also noted that the distinctions between the two tiny DACs were "relatively small." JA the Measurer, who in 2016 noted that neither the Red nor the Black were at the head of the class in terms of jitter rejection, observed "excellent rejection of word-clock jitter" from the Cobalt, which he praised for "[performing] well on the test bench." JA adds some remarkable praise for a $300 DAC: except for its limited ability to drive low impedances, the Cobalt would be Class A. (Vol.39 No.9, Vol.42 No.12 WWW) AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon: $399.95
According to HR, at the opposite end of the spectrum from Sony's MDR-Z1R headphones and their Apollonian studio sound aesthetic are AudioQuest's more Dionysian NightOwl Carbons, which use the same drivers as AQ's NightHawks, but in aperiodically vented rather than semi-open earpieces. (That driver is a 50mm biocellulose dome with a rubber surround.) The 99dB-sensitive, 25 ohm NightOwls also have the same "liquid wood" earcups, although here they sport not a faux-burled wood finish but dark-gray metalflake paint. How do the $699.99 NightOwl Carbons stack up against the $499.99 NightHawks? According to HR, "If you're one of those who thought the original NightHawks sounded too dark, you can now rejoice: properly broken-in, the NightOwls beguilingly straddled the lines between dark and light, hard and soft." Herb's conclusion: "If I were now forced to live with just one set of headphones, they would be AudioQuest's NightOwl Carbons." (Vol.40 No.6 WWW)
Formerly branded Mr.=Speakers, the Æons are closed-back headphones built around planar-magnetic drivers with pleated diaphragms, which the company says improves pistonic motion. These drivers are contained within padded, teardrop-shaped earpieces sealed with carbon-fiber backs. The skeletal headband comprises a leather strap and two hoops of nitinol, which sounds like a sleep aid but is actually a "memory alloy" that, after being deformed, returns to its original shape when reheated. Sensitivity is 93dB and impedance is stated as 13 ohms—the latter spec confirmed in measurements by JA, who noted the need for a headphone amp "capable of delivering enough current into such a load." When using the Æons with the headphone jack of his Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty DAC, JA heard some mid-treble emphasis but found the sound "otherwise smooth, with an uncolored midrange." He also noted that, after installing in their earcups the two thin foam pads supplied with the Æons for that purpose, "low frequencies were in better balance with the midrange." JA's conclusion: "the Æons have opened my ears to what can be achieved with closed-back headphones." (Vol.41 No.3 WWW) HifiMan Jade 2: $2499 with energizer
A successor to the Jade—HiFiMan's first electrostatic headphone set—the Jade II weighs just 12.9oz (365gm) and comes with a solid-state amplifier/energizer. HR found the Jade II's sound to be "cool, clean, and well sorted" but lacking in the bass depth, grainlessness, and clarity of the company's more expensive electrostatic headphone set, the Shangri-La Jr. Using the Shangri-La Jr's tubed amp/energizer to drive the Jade IIs restored some, but not all, of the charms of the higher-priced set, HR noted. The Jade II headphones are available separately for $1399, their solid-state amp/energizer for $1599. (Vol.42 No.6 WWW) iFi Audio Pro iDSD 4.4 D/A processor/headphone amplifier: $2749
See "Digital Preocessors." ifi Pro iCAN: $1799
Despite being burdened with "switchy doodads" such as a switch that allows the user to select between Solid-State, Tube, and Tube+ sounds, an analog-domain bass-correction system, and a choice of three different 3D Holographic Matrix circuits, the fully solid-state iFi Pro iCAN headphone amplifier had some features that HR did like, including three different levels of gain and choices of single-ended or balanced inputs and outputs. Better still, Herb found that "the Pro iCAN played recordings in an unusually appealing manner." In fact, he found that with every associated D/A processor he tried, "the Pro iCAN was never sonically outclassed, and never the weak link." That said, as good as it is, the iFi headphone amp did not impress HR as offering the ultimate in value. (Vol.40 No.6 WWW)
The original SR60 offered a rather dark-toned balance, with a full bass and excellent resolution of detail. A more forward midrange, however. Uncomfortable. Upgrades from the original SR60 include a new driver and improved cables. While maintaining the original's freedom from obvious colorations and resonances, the SR60i went a bit deeper in the bass and had a slightly more vivid midrange for a more involving overall sound. "The SR60i is modestly better than the original, and remains one of audio's great bargains," said JCA. (Vol.17 Nos.6 & 10 WWW, original, Vol.33 No.4 WWW) Hagerman Audio Labs Tuba: $649
See HR's review in this issue. Koss PortaPro: $49.99 $$$
Imagine 60-ohm, 101dB-sensitive, perfectionist-quality 'phones that fold up small, clip together, and fit in your pocket. Imagine silver-dollar-size earpieces with easily replaceable foam earpads that rest gently on your pinnae. Imagine flying down a hill on your bike while grooving—and I do mean grooving—to your favorite music. Imagine that the ca-1979 Koss Porta Pro headphones are back again and sell for only $49.95 per pair. As it happens, and as HR reported in the June 2018 Stereophile, it's all true. (Vol.41 No.6 WWW) Meze Audio 99 Classic: $309
The Romanian-engineered, Chinese-made Meze 99 Classics are closed-back, circumaural headphones that feature Mylar-cone drivers, machined-walnut earcups, synthetic leather-covered earpads and headband, and a clever frame design that KM found comfortable. Standard accessories include a 4' remote-equipped cable for travel, a 9' cable for home use, and a resealable faux-velvet pouch. KM praised their "slightly buttoned-down sound," which he found to be more neutral than that of the AudioQuest NightHawks, although the latter provided a more "immersive" experience. JA measured the Mezes and found their impedance to be "relatively low" and thus needful of a current-capable amplifier—and after listening to the 99 Classics, he suggested that their low-frequency balance was "somewhat exaggerated." (Vol.42 No.6 WWW)
Intended as a convenience accessory for Shure in-ear headphones, the company's Bluetooth 5.0 Earphone Communication Cable plugs into the two earpieces, replacing their original cable, and dangles down to approximately mid-sternum, where it terminates in a Bluetooth receiver/DAC that's roughly the size of a USB flash drive, and that opens to reveal a USB-B Micro jack for charging. (Estimated playing time: up to 10 hours.) AptX, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency, AAC, and SBC codecs are all supported. Used with a pair of Shure SE535 in-ear headphones, the Bluetooth 5.0 cable impressed JA with AAC-encoded sound that was "[not] as inferior as I'd expected" on classical music, with only slight congestion that, much of the time, "wasn't an issue." Hard-driving rock fared slightly less well. (Vol.42 No.3 WWW) K Dan Clark Voce electrostatic, Linear Tube Audio Z10e, Stax SR-009S, Stax SR-L700. Deletions
Focal Elear discontinued; Master & Dynamic MH40, new versions available, not yet reviewed; Audeze LCD-4, Ayre Codex, Chord Mojo, Hifi Man HE1000, Koss ESP/950, Linear Tube Audio MZ2, Moon by Simaudio 230HAD, Pass Labs HPA-1, Shure KSE1500, not auditioned in a long time; Thinksound ON2, company has ceased operations.
