A classic evolved: Sennheiser's HD650 rolled out six years after its predecessor, the HD600, and went on to earn its own cult status.  The new millenium saw a rise in genres of electronic music and Sennheiser scored in its response with this warmer, bassier cousin to the HD600. This became one of the most important models in Head-Fi ever to have been released, justifying its place in the headphone history books. [See Product Desc. For More] Innerfidelity's Tyll Hertsens brings the social studies for one of the hobby's most important headphones. Check out the rest of Sennheiser's legendary line-up here, or view our other open-back headphone options here as well as the amplifiers to drive them here. // Most customers test the HD650 alongside the HD600, and the HD660s. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets.

Sennheiser celebrate the turn of the decade ready to build a new legacy with the HD560S. Affordable open-back headphones now have a new face fronting excellence.  HD560S lovers will delight in its superb detail retrieval excelling in reproducing details in strings and other acoustic instruments in pristine recordings. StereoNET praise it to "someone looking for clean, no-nonsense sound without breaking the bank". [See Product Desc. For More] Spatially, angled drivers with EAR (Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement) technology from Sennheiser create a realistic portrayal of stage rarely heard in open-back headphones at price point. Its 120ohm impedance makes HD560S a great match for any integrated amplifier's headphone outputs, ruling out source impedance mismatches. Headfonia says its "balance is impressive and the longer you listen to this headphone, the better it gets", adding it to his list of Recommended Buys. This is unfussy reference listening that'll bring out the most of the recordings you want pristinely rendered – this here stands up to all scrutiny. View all of Sennheiser's other offerings here, or check out all our other headphones here.

The ATH-R70x is Audio-Technica's first pair of open-back reference professional headphones and feature specially designed drivers and acoustically transparent housings fashioned from aluminum honeycomb mesh. These headphones provide an accurate and natural open-back sound. When you're done with this hit, view the rest of Audio-Technica's line-up here, or browse our other headphones here.

Sennheiser set the bar high for what it took to be considered a modern flagship headphone in 2015 with the HD800S, and this model still holds its ground among the plethora of elite choices present. Can a lightweight headphone (just 330 grams) also be a heavyweight as an audiophile reference for Sennheiser?  LISTEN NOW HD800S father Axel Grell drops bombshell With soundstage for days, precise images and the ability to expose the tiniest detail, the HD800S continues to impress those who desire to hear everything in their music. [See Product Desc. For More] We recommend you hear it through iBasso Audio's DX320, HiBy Music's R8, or dedicate a full desktop set-up space for it. Further notes: The HD820 is popularly viewed as the closed-back equivalent of the HD800S, after they've tested Sennheiser's waters with the HD600, HD650 and HD660s. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets. / Photography by Zepp Crew.

1997 was the year this legend was born. Old but never outdated, Sennheiser's ever-reliable HD600 has continued to earn its place. Always a litmus test for correctness and neutrality, these vintage, classic headphones are a gateway into this hobby and cement their place in the pantheon of modern audiophile gear. [See Product Desc. For More] Innerfidelity's Tyll Hertsens brings the social studies for arguably the hobby's most important headphone. Check out the rest of Sennheiser's legendary line-up here, or view our other open-back headphone options here. // Most customers test the HD600 alongside the HD650, and the HD660s. // Care tip: We recommend changing earpads every year or two for hygiene reasons. Check out the KITO or YAXI range if you need to freshen the headphones up. Bad smelling headphones aren't cool.  // For added headband comfort: Check out the DEKONI Nuggets.

Bigger is better when it comes to HIFIMAN, and the huge planar-magnetic diaphragm brought to bear in Edition XS is proof of that. It's eCoustics' Best Value Open-Back Headphone of 2022, something Headphonesty concur with. That's quickly led to accolades arriving from Headfonia and Headfonics. All the authority of HIFIMAN's flagships surface here, with the head-enveloping Edition XS pushing a wall of sound at your ears for sound that immerses – an experience that you can very much feel, as you can hear.  Keeping such a large driver under control is no problem for HIFIMAN's double-sided planar-magnetic array. [See Product Desc. For More] Just that alone wouldn't ensure a completely low-distortion affair, though. HIFIMAN's Stealth Magnet technology shows up here, with magnets that claim to be acoustically transparent allowing soundwaves to propagate to your ear with minimal diffraction and turbulent interaction with the surrounding structure.  Edition XS also brings NEO super Diaphragm to bear – a sub-two micron driver that's said to be up to 75 per cent thinner than its predecessor from 2015. Reducing mass allows for HIFIMAN to produce lightning-quick reaction times and transients, aiding reproduction of detail and soundstage cues. Naturally, a massive driver does no harm to the passive generation of a holographic, immersive soundstage around you as you listen. MOONSTAR Reviews says Edition XS "will immediately mesmerise you with its technical capabilities". Milk all that there is from Edition XS by ensuring it is properly driven by Questyle Audio's M12 and CMA18P current-mode amplifiers; the latter together with iBasso Audio's 4.4mm CB17 or the Nobunaga Labs Advance TPC. Or view our other offerings from HIFIMAN here, and our other headphones here.

An entry-offering that already gives you everything you could want in ZMF Headphones. Substantial bass that's never overbearing and a midrange plus highs that are always open and present open you up to your world of music once again. [See Product Desc. For More] The handcrafted, handmade TPE driver housed in various woods grants a flagship experience, for relatively little. Aeolus is the keeper of the winds for the Greeks, an apt name for this piece. OR... have more resolution with ZMF's Auteur, even more resolution with ZMF's Vérité, or browse our other open-back options here!

ZMF Headphones bring you Atrium, a new co-flagship designed with a tried-and-tested biocellulose dynamic driver plus Atrium Damping System. Headfonics say it "easily ranks as one of the most agreeable sounding" flagships. "Atrium is a must-have" to Part-Time Audiophile, "an outstanding fit for a wide variety of listening rigs". Not only does it expand the range of spatial sound experience first incepted with the Auteur, through its shared biocellulose driver heritage, it also introduces ZMF's Atrium Damping System. [See Product Desc. For More] Atrium allows Zach Mehrbach full control over a soundscape, with the grille and cup venting making it the most open headphone he has introduced to date. These acoustic design innovations show up audibly with Atrium. A tremendously open listen, the cups draw zero attention to themselves when playing, virtually never colouring the sound as if they disappeared. Atrium stages wide but always sounds natural and effortless. The illusion of frontal image, depth and height have never been more apparent even among other class leaders in Head-Fi, till now. The patented Atrium Damping System perfectly illustrates how far up the R&D ladder ZMF have come. Starting with biocellulose, stiff and lightweight as a diaphragm material, this fibre also promises excellent damping. Biocellulose allows ZMF to keep the large 50mm driver under control at all times even as frequencies rise, averting any harsh intermodulation due to cone modal break-up. The Atrium system then works hand in hand with the driver, allowing ZMF to choose how little or much back-wave damping is needed from the negative impulses of the driver, which back waves they had to keep, and which they want to get rid of, for the optimal acoustic headphone system. An incredible amount of fine-tuning takes place selecting distances within the cup and damping material for optimal airflow, a three-year process before ZMF deemed ready to release their labour of love to the public. Atrium brings everything ZMF owners have loved about their existing open-backed models, and adds a new expression of sound that ramps up the technicalities, spatial awareness, and enjoyment, while retaining the natural biocellulose timbre that audiophiles dream of. Also view the rest of ZMF's collection that built up to this moment here, or our other headphones here.

The story of the SR80x holds a special place in not only our ears, but the ears of hundreds of thousands of listeners. Grado Labs built the first SR80 pair in 1991 and they wouldn't be here today without it.  A new, fourth-generation speaker design features a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with decreased effective mass, and a reconfigured diaphragm.  Re-engineering these components for their 44mm drivers improved efficiency, reduces distortion, and preserves the harmonic integrity of your music. 5 ⭐ from What Hi-Fi? earmark this as frontrunners in the budget wired headphones field. Headfonia recommend the SR80X not just to existing Grado devotees, but all headphone lovers at large. View all our Grado products here, or check out our other headphones here.

Grado broke the rules again. They've done it several times over seven decades of history, but this time, working with a new wood meant they had to retune the drivers. They called it a slow burn, and worked the hemp with maple, arriving on one of their best sounding limited editions ever made and owned the term "hemphone". "This produces a fuller sound, comprised of a noticeable low end and a top end that extends smoothly to its limits. The hemp may be doing the heavy lifting, but the hemphone is a joint effort." --- Grado. [See Product Desc. For More] Meanwhile, the Brooklyn attitude is on, refusing to bow down to fancy packaging by staying minimal sleek in a statement white box, black label.// GOOD TO KNOW Transducer Type: Dynamic Operating Principle: Open Air Frequency Response: 13hz-28kHz SPL 1mW: 98 Normal Impedance: 38 ohms Driver Matched db: .05 db Check out Grado's full range here, or check out YAXI Purple foam pads to deck it up, or KITO earpads if you'd like to get an extra pair with your headphones. / Photography by Zepp Crew

Sony have done it again. On the back of a long list of professional monitoring legends MDR-7506, MDR-CD900ST and MDR-M1ST comes MDR-MV1. This open-back Pro debutant comes in to set a standard at its price for pros and pleasure. Like the best Sonys that have come before, MDR-MV1 takes advantage of its open-back earcups for accurate reproduction of the spatial information on your favourite recordings.  Sony's carefully tuned open-back acoustic structure supports mixing and mastering of both spatial and stereo sounds with High-Resolution Audio capability. [See Product Desc. For More] Through multiple rounds of simulation and prototyping with MDR-MV1's 40mm dynamic driver, Sony derived a low-distortion, high-compliance diaphragm shape with corrugation. An acoustic resistor is used over as large an area as possible to eliminate spatial resonance, for optimal control of airflow in front of and at the back of the driver. MDR-MV1's open-back structure with rear ducts realises sufficient volume and quick and tight low-range reproduction while maintaining the separation between the mid-range and low range. Reflected sound inside these affordable open-back Sonys is reduced, lowering user fatigue and increasing accuracy. In this way this critical listening specialist realises natural and rich bass reproduction without undue colouration for total enjoyment. Use with iFi Audio's Zen DAC V2 on your desk, plus iBasso Audio's DC03 Pro and Questyle Audio's M15i or CMA18P on the go. Also check out the rest of Sony's range here, as well as our other headphones here. Add the TPC Kokuryu cable from Nobunaga and plug into a 4.4mm output for best effects.

The mastery of beryllium as a driver material in the Vérité underlined ZMF Headphones' credentials as an elite headphone manufacturer. With the advantages of one of audio's most coveted materials at hand, ZMF set out to build a statement flagship with all the speed, transparency, scale and dynamics in the world. Reference lovers, rejoice! [See Product Desc. For More] Its driver starts with a sandwich driver core of softer plastic PEN for effective damping at higher frequencies, this surface being coated with beryllium for the metal's stiffness, lightness and air acceleration properties.  That means Vérité's driver moves as a perfect piston over all frequencies up to and above its working range, keeping distortion down due to cone and modal break-up. Audiophile Style compared the open version against its closed brethren, publishing a comprehensive study complete with measurements to conclude "they're as good as anything on the market today" and what "ZMF have achieved with the Vérité is truly remarkable ... whether ZMF wanted to create a headphone that could comfortably go head-to-head with Focal's Utopia, he succeeded". Stereophile's Herb Reichert says the "Vérités come closer to [Sony's] MDR-R10s in basic sonic character than any other headphones I've auditioned ... may even exceed Sony's cult classics in their illusion of speed and transparency". OR... enjoy a smoother, more relaxed sound with ZMF's Auteur and ZMF's Aeolus, or browse our other open-back options here!

After the brilliance of beryllium, Focal's next rabbit out of the hat is magnesium magic, with the launch of Clear MG. Its predecessor Clear needs no introduction to the modern hobbyist for a perceivably flat response and excellent dynamic qualities. But Focal have found a way to improve on that performance yet with Clear MG, with a drastically increased portrayal of head space, and sub-bass that plunges deeper into the abyss. [See Product Desc. For More] It immediately gets a coveted 'Applause Award' from StereoNET as an all-rounder "with impeccable timing and excellent dynamics, but its sense of space is where it really shines" – imagine that. The same publication elected it Best Over-Ear Headphone in its Products of the Year shortlist 2021. Headfonia reckon our favourite French "have gone and made one of the most instantly easy-to-love high-end headphones with their all-new model" – TechHive similarly awarded it their Editor's Choice gong and a 5 ⭐ ranking from What Hi-Fi? followed soon after. Headphonesty states Clear MG closes in on perfection. Everything's made possible by sporting Focal's famous M-shaped driver with a new magnesium dome for the perfect lightness, rigidity and damping.  By being even lighter than beryllium, together with a driver suspension that's super pliant and a magnet that can produce more than one tesla of force, this magnesium grants Clear MG transient speed and detail without harshness. Built to be extremely pistonic in motion, the potential travel of the driver gives Clear MG's bass great low-frequency presence, speed and dynamics. These are traits that remain as frequencies rise. Focal's humble 40mm driver dimensions and the superb damping qualities of magnesium means movement stays pistonic and doesn't deteriorate into harsh modal break-up up top. Treble detail stays inherently warm and natural. Clear MG's portrayal of air and soundstage is aided by a M-shaped honeycomb grille protecting the correspondingly built driver that's exceptionally open. Air exits the back of the cups via bigger, smoother passages, with enlarged grills inside and outside. Tuned linear in the continued tradition of Clear, with a slight tint of refined warmth, Clear MG continues to be Head-Fi's reference where ever you listen. T3 say "very few headphones make it so enjoyable to get lost in your music". HIFI Trends praised the "masterful" MG for "speaker-like vibrancy and fireworks". An included 4-pin XLR cable completes the package for pairing with your desktop set-ups, while a Focal carrying case, 3.5mm jack and 55ohm portable friendliness takes care of you from a music player on your travels. Perfect candidates for the latter are Cayin Audio's RU7, HiBy Music's R6 III, R6 Pro II and R8II, plus iBasso Audio's DC07 Pro and DX180. To upgrade further, consider iBasso Audio's 4.4mm CB17 silver-plated copper cable. Also check out the rest of Focal's line here, or our other headphones here.

A new decade demands a new Utopia. Focal's 2022 flagship reinvents itself six years after its inception, bringing to bear a new pure beryllium dynamic driver to lead the way forward again. Utopia 2022's famous 40mm M-shaped beryllium dome is coupled to the most open honeycomb grille acoustic enclosure seen yet on a Focal headphone for greater bass authority, a richer mid-range, and spacious presentation. “They are a true reference component worthy of the finest system" to The Absolute Sound. Headfonics say it's "truly worthy of being called a high-end flagship". 5 ⭐ from What Hi-Fi? was a given. Headphonesty "can offer no higher praise". Focal take home an eCoustics trophy for France. Utopia 2022 is a "slam dunk" for Part-Time Audiophile who make it a Reviewers Choice. Ultimate resolution and dynamics show up as minimum expectations again. But the sense of headstage and space Utopia 2022 gains is something to behold – even at the summit of this golden age in personal audio. Focal therefore decisively carve another place of prominence at the top of Head-Fi again. 2022 extends the legacy of Utopia with another truly legendary in line, mixing the best of the old with the promise of the new. [See Product Desc. For More] Clear MG first gave us a taste of the gains an ultra-open Focal earcup could yield. Listeners imagined what such a new frame might be capable of were Utopia's original beryllium driver mounted. Now, Utopia 2022 tangibly shows up the answer to our dreams – wilder than we dared hope – comprehensively exceeding any preconception or expectation we held. Headphone Guru writes "Utopia 2022 is a significant upgrade". Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity call this the one to rule them all. "They are truly magical" to TechHive. Audioholics cites an evolved tuning compared to its Utopia predecessor from 2016 and praised this version of perfection. SoundStage! praised a flawless portrayal of the frequencies that matter. Focal don't know how to build a better dynamic driver than out of signature pure beryllium, and their choice is vindicated. Utopia's beryllium driver is built as a trademark M-shaped dome for great structural rigidity, perfect for rendering the lowest, deepest bass.  Beryllium's hardness also yields excellent air acceleration properties and Utopia propels micro-dynamics with an uncanny realism that leaves listeners in spellbound disbelief. A drastically more open honeycomb grille encourages airflow in tandem, for expanded macro-dynamics. Contrary to many other metals, beryllium is both rigid yet extremely self-damped. Utopia's 40mm diameter is small enough to climb up in frequency without cone or modal break-up, always moving as a perfect piston. Distortion is therefore amazingly low at all frequencies. A micron-thick suspension allows massive, linear driver excursion for rendition of bass waves. Focal's new acoustically open frame supplies plenty of air volume for Utopia to plumb deeper than before. A copper-aluminium alloy former-less voice coil is suspended in the air gap of Utopia's magnet array capable of nearly two tesla. The copper element shorts inductance in the voice coil, maintaining a flatter impedance through the frequency range. And while one of the benefits of aluminium is suppressing eddy currents in the magnetic flux, another is in high reliability.  Focal certainly designed Utopia for ultimate performance – and long-term reliability while pushing the limits of personal audio. It'll rule over your collection of flagships for years to come. Future-proofing also happens in performance, with Utopia 2022's ceiling pushing much higher than its predecessor. Proof is how Focal's latest brainchild scales ever better with the myriad of the very best headphone sources now. Listening via the dCS Data Conversion Systems Lina is otherworldly. While Cayin Audio's HA-300B MK. II and Feliks Audio's Envy cannot but entice tube advocates. An excellent three-metre 4-pin XLR stock cable comes packaged. But the 4.4mm upgrade via PlusSound's X6 and X8 will entice with opportunities abounding for use with Cayin Audio's C9ii, HiBy Music's FD5, R8II and RS8, or iBasso Audio's D16 and PB5. Cabling in Singapore silver is also achieved by Twilight from Ares Audio.  At the end of the day, enough reading – time to start experiencing the new heights of Head-Fi that Utopia 2022 heralds. Certainly work your way up to this moment by browsing the rest of Focal's difference-makers here, or our other headphones here.

Quite the legend in Hi-Fi, Quad implement their years of electrostatic speaker design heritage into their first headphone, the planar-magnetic ERA-1. A fast, open and transparent audio experience ensues. ERA-1 pays homage to the legendary Quad ESL electrostatic speaker with its wide open sound and immense sense of depth. A glorious, soaring upper-midrange will have you scratching your heads wondering whether you're listening to headphones or speakers, indeed. [See Product Desc. For More] Vocal portrayals are stunning and the image casts far beyond the cups – certainly more than an affordable planar-magnetic headphone has right to. Low frequencies get represented cleanly, with little distortion discernible. Double-sided magnets suspended in an anti-vibration system drive a low-impedance trace diaphragm that will function perfectly from Questyle Audio's current-mode M12 DAC dongle. Beyond that, listen as Quad's ERA-1 scales up from iFi Audio's ZEN DAC to HiBy Music's R5 Saber and, finally, Audio-Technica's AT-BHA100 – all the time cabled via iBasso Audio's CB17. Through them all, you'll feel almost as if you were at the recording venue itself. Give ERA-1 a go, now!

HEDDphone breaks new ground in Singapore, bringing the benefits of Air Motion Transformer (AMT) technology right next to your ears, with no loss of detail or dynamics to the room. READ NOW The BIG HEDDphone interview with CEO Freddy Knop ecoustics have proven a novel driver technology can go up against the other big boys. This pioneer in personal audio quickly made its way onto Headfonia's list of 'Best Buys', earning a 'Recommended Buy' and 'Best of 2020' award in the process. [See Product Desc. For More] Headfonics sum up that HEDDphone "is not a planar sound, neither dynamic nor electrostatic, but it successfully mixes some of the best traits of each to paint a massive presentation, huge depth, and wonderful clarity". Actually, Ear Fidelity highly recommended it after an in-depth comparison with run-of-the-mill planar brands. SoundStage! were "pleasantly surprised that HEDD Audio could produce such versatile and good-sounding headphones in their first try". The Headphone List concluded HEDDphone is a "highly ambitious product whose meticulous realisation equally rewards in real-world performance as in theoretical design". Indeed, HEDDphone earned an Editors' Choice Award on Part-Time Audiophile for "its sound is rich and delightful". The measurements corroborate this for Headphone Guru to call them "an outstanding tour de force" with "such a transparent and true-to-life listening experience". Stereophile's Herb Reichert found its pairing with Feliks Audio's Euforia amplifier particularly enriching. Clearly, Heinz Electrodynamic Designs (HEDD) utilised their expertise in speaker tweeter design to perfectly execute this transducer technology in headphones for the first time ever. After this, don't forget to check out all our other open-back headphones here, along with the amplification to drive them with aplomb.

This is what everyone's first audiophile open-back headphone can be. That's the message Focal have sent with Hadenys, an entry-level wired headphone for the masses. What Hi-Fi? are already impressed. Built on the familiar, chic, compact chassis of the Bathys, Hadenys sounds great. Trademark 40mm M-shaped aluminum-magnesium dynamic drivers work with its open grilles to supply a healthy dose of space which Trusted Reviews noted. As possibly one's first experience with open-back headphones, Hadenys however never once pushes listeners out of their comfort zone. Reference soundstage, dynamics and detail are delivered politely and palatably, never once beating the uninitiated over the head with excessive high-frequencies. Also requiring zero amping, but improving with some, Hadenys gives you headroom to explore. Enquire in-shop about swapping Focal's stock mic cable with a balanced 4.4mm version, increasing this groundbreaking release – or its closed Azurys sibling's – audiophile credentials yet. [See Product Desc. For More] Like every Focal, Hadenys combines stunning design for immersive listening experience, with unmatched portability and comfort. These wired closed-back headphones boast a high-end design with Focal's signature style elements, featuring luxurious materials like leather, magnesium and aluminum.  It's this winning combination that ensures both durability and comfortable wear for any head shape. Inspired by the Hadean era, when the Earth completed its formation, Focal's rich brown colour gives it a distinctive touch, evoking earthly depth and organic warmth. Its beauty is matched only by the serious technology it hides underneath. Like every Focal, 40mm M-shaped dynamic drivers that have been made in French facilities reside below its cups. Built to be extremely pistonic in motion, the maximum potential travel of the Hadenys drivers give its bass proper low-frequency presence, speed and dynamics – useful on a noisy commute. These are traits that remain as frequencies rise. Focal's humble 40mm driver dimensions and the superb damping qualities of magnesium mean movement stays pistonic and doesn't deteriorate into harsh modal break-up up top. Treble detail stays inherently warm and natural. Focal engineered Hadenys seriously so you could have fun. Worth every penny as it gives you a taste of French finery, few entrances into the audiophile hobby are as credible as this new closed-back headphone. Enquire with us about the balanced cable that's in order, for use with any one of our portable DAC/amps or desktop sources. Otherwise, see how you can step up via the rest of Focal's range here, or check out our other headphones here.

Yamaha makes a glorified return to its Hi-Fi past in its planar-magnetic flagship headphone YH-5000SE. This is bound to make an impact – figuratively but especially literally. Yamaha received full marks from What Hi-Fi? and SoundStage! Solo. Hyper-dynamic, the punch this pair produces is unrivalled in all of Head-Fi, not matched for sheer impact by comers from all topologies – be it fellow planar, dynamic, AMT or electrostatic drivers. With a tuning popularised in Japan, the featherweight YH-5000SE is a heavyweight that shows its roots in hitting hard and fast while gracefully accommodating the hot and loudly-recorded female vocals typical of Asian acts.  Lovers of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Cantonese pop will find that this Yamaha is not stuffy nor stuck in the past, coming right out of the blocks by producing every detail in the voice and dodging potential for harshness. A natural progression from Audio-Technica's ATH-ADX5000 and Focal's Clear MG, YH-5000SE similarly propping that soulfulness up with bass impact and depth for days for concert-like atmospherics. [See Product Desc. For More] Inspired by Yamaha's first planar "orthodynamic" headphone of the 1970s but not merely content to reproduce it, YH-5000SE pursues an expressive contrast between stillness and motion, achieving low-frequency reproduction with rich volume and extraordinary transparency. The result is that the full dynamism of the sound is artistically conveyed and immerses the listener inside a remarkable, musical world. YH-5000SE's specially developed thin-film diaphragm is the result of relentless prototyping, meticulous measurements, and rigorous analysis. Yamaha manufactured it by etching the voice coil with a unique pattern on both sides of the film and applying minute corrugation. Moreover, highly permeable, micro-perforation air dampers are arranged on both sides to ensure the diaphragm motion can be accurately controlled for sound reproduction that doesn’t degrade the vibrant dynamism of the music. YH-5000SE's rounded shape devoid of any fixed points other than the outer circumference maintains uninhibited movement of the entire film, enabling exceptionally full, yet clear low-frequency expression. Yamaha's housing is built without any fixed central structure ensuring shape retention by use of concentric circle corrugation and pattern reinforcement, and avoiding magnetic substances in the vicinity. Indeed, YH-5000SE's large housing has ample internal acoustic volume and reduces the adverse effects on the thin planar diaphragm, preventing sound reflections inside the rear cavity to eliminate undesirable resonance.  Yamaha adopted a newly developed, Japanese-made, rolled plain Dutch weave stainless steel filter to control internal pressure in the housing. It includes an arch-shaped protrusion arranged inside the housing which functions as a reflector. Produced under strict air permeability control, this filter enables smooth air discharge and is the key element in creating the sound field expression we aspired to for the YH-5000SE. These features allowed Yamaha to achieve exceptionally controlled reproduction of both instruments and vocals, and properly control those sounds throughout their initial attack and final decay. This package is complete with two different types of earpads. A hybrid version combines leather around the build with well-ventilated mesh on the inner circumference that increases the perception of dynamics. Meanwhile, the alternative utilises Toray Ultrasuede to blend frequencies better bottom to top for an even longer immersive experience with soft, warm sound. A 4.4mm silver-plated copper cable comes included for all your balanced amplifier needs. Take advantage of YH-5000SE's flat impedance together with Enleum's current-source HPA-23RM, or Cayin Audio's transformer-output tube amplifiers. Questyle Audio's CMA18P and CMA18 Master are solid-state candidates, as is Cayin's iHA-8.  At the end of the day, the solution could very well lie in house with Yamaha's own HA-L7A DAC/amp. Check out the rest of their releases here, or view our other headphones here.

If there was one headphone that could give you a helping of the entire HIFIMAN experience, it would be Sundara. It's the quintessential HIFIMAN experience, on top of being one of the most important planar-magnetic headphones to surface in the last decade. Sundara's significance has been cemented thanks to its two-micron thick diaphragm, for excellent accuracy in the mids and treble. [See Product Desc. For More] Christened NEO supernano Diaphragm by HIFIMAN, Sundara promises bass that extends flat downwards – a customary planar-magnetic benefit, even at this price.  Reducing driver mass also allows HIFIMAN to produce lightning-quick reaction times and transients higher in frequency, aiding reproduction of detail and soundstage cues. Sundara's distortion is always kept low under the control of HIFIMAN's magnet array, making this a versatile reference listen that could be all you ever need. MOONSTAR Reviews hailed it for its "natural, detailed and spacious presentation" at its price. SoundGuys gave it their Editors Choice award. See that Sundara's properly driven by Questyle Audio's M12 and CMA18P current-mode amplifiers; the latter together with iBasso Audio's 4.4mm CB17. Or, view our other offerings from HIFIMAN here, and our other headphones here.

Let's open up about a new modern classic. Fostex performed the ultimate factory mod on their defining TH900 and opened up its cups to give you TH909, for an exciting yet reference sound quality at home. It's a keeper for Headfonics, and there was never a boring moment for Headfonia. Hi-Fi Choice awarded 5 ⭐. Double-layered grills confer open-back status to legendary Fostex sound via TH909 – which are still instantly recognisable for their hand-applied Urushi lacquer finish. [See Product Desc. For More] This traditional Japanese art form undertaken by the Sa-kamoto Urushi Factory established over 100 years ago earmarks this Fostex flagship as a heirloom to be passed down for generations. Urushi applied over closed-back Japanese Cherry Birch cups allows Fostex to showcase the significance of each TH909, hand-built in Japan. Such allure and prestige invites us to put these featherweight and light-clamp headphones on, to be totally immersed in the incredible sound they produce. TH909 addresses the clamour to adapt the original TH900 for exclusive listening in quiet home and office environments, promising something more tonally neutral and evenly-balanced while remaining unmistakably Fostex. Double-layered etched metal grills are used as openings to TH909's housings, randomising resonance points and eliminating standing waves while appearing gorgeous to boot. A soundstage that already breathed naturally on TH900 blossomed and reached its climatic zenith in TH909. Centre-image and depth are produced especially realistically. TH909 grabs you and shakes you in one massive dynamic movement, also thanks to its 50mm driver that moves plenty of air. Made of Fostex's famous Biodyna biocellulose material and guaranteed huge excursion by a 1.5 tesla magnetic circuit, TH909 effortlessly produces a bass that is flat and linear in nature, without any sort of mid-bass bloat. More air and space allows for male and female vocal fundamentals to emerge, and their overtones dissipate magically into the ether around. TH909's Biodyna is stiff and lightweight as a diaphragm material but also promises excellent damping. Biocellulose allows Fostex to keep the large 50mm driver under control at all times even as frequencies rise, averting any harsh intermodulation due to cone modal break-up. TH909's highs sparkle and decay spectacularly as a result. Its notes start and stop on a dime, transients properly defined without smear or bleed – clearly a low-distortion affair for even-handed and natural music reproduction throughout. Find out why Fostex earned Gold Awards from Major HiFi and Soundnews when you listen to TH909. Also browse the rest of Fostex's artisan handcrafted headphones here, or our other cans here.

The planar-magnetic flagship RAD-0 is the story of Alex Rosson finding himself. Rosson Audio Design was born as Audeze's former Co-Founder and CEO embarked on a journey of self-expression. Paths in audio design are unique, as much as our forms of enjoyment are. [See Product Desc. For More] VIEW ALSO ALL of Rosson Audio's unique RAD-0 masterpieces Individually serialised pairs of RAD-0 cups made from hand-poured resin enclose planar drivers of Rosson's own design. Each cup rim is a unique creation of art unto itself, as is RAD-0's sound. Audiophile Style reckons it "bests all of its planar rivals and ranks among the top two or three best headphones available today", proving the point in a review complete with measurements. None of the expertise that established Alex Rosson at the forefront of this decade's planar magnetic headphones ascendency has been lost through time. In fact, Rosson's audio engineering has taken a turn of sharper focus, honed after years of experimentation in tuning. RAD-0 is naturally transparent yet unetched, with a soundstage given room to breathe via 66mm planar film drivers under the iron grip of 11 N52 neodymium magnets. READ ALSO Darko.Audio interviews famous RAD-0 fans A warm transparency envelopes and halos around with unforced ease with an approach many commentators have compared to Audeze's hallmark pre-fazored designs. Flexibility with all genres and partnering amplifiers is a given; a Rosson can never be made to sound bad. Audiophile Heaven say RAD-0 is "liquid, musical, smooth, grain-free". Ear Fidelity calls it "wildly recommended" as the "surprise of 2022". Praise and recognition of one of Head-Fi's most prominent, important designers followed quickly. Headfonics put RAD-0 in their running of the top three headphones heard in 2019, praise only surpassed by Headfonia who crowned it their top headphone of the year and again in 2020. Part-Time Audiophile used RAD-0 as indication of the increased clout boutique manufacturers are commanding in the sphere of luxury headphones. Darko.Audio gave this unique statement piece the full podcast treatment too. Hear Rosson's labour of love at its unique best via one of our music players or desktop amplifiers, or view our other headphones here.

This piece has found an owner. // IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE, WHY IS IT STILL LISTED? We do not archive Rossons that are sold from our page to keep a visual gallery to continue to inspire new RAD owners. If you're interested, click here and look out for those that are without the <ASK THE CREW> tags.  You can also reach us directly if there's a look you'd love to have but is already taken. 

You've almost heard Stax say it: SR-X9000 is the legendary SR-009 on steroids. Fully armed with the knowledge that bigger is better, this new uber-electrostatic flagship comes with a diaphragm that is 20 per cent larger than its predecessor SR-009S.  This is a Stax that truly earns its moniker as an earspeaker: the headphones disappear! Cup colouration is silent, and apparently, the driver is too. Even in the most coloured of source chains, SR-X9000 remains absolutely faithful to the music.  Nothing is added, nothing is subtracted. The only thing that is enhanced is the feeling that you are there: Stax's masterpiece renders a performance that is utterly realistic, believable and beautiful. What Hi-Fi? were swept off their feet. [See Product Desc. For More] A bigger transducer allows for more air to be moved, with less distortion. The comparisons to legendary predecessor SR-009/S will always be there, but don't let that condition your first listen – SR-X9000 walks its own path sonically. Of course, this end-game begins with typical electrostatic traits and is clean as a whistle. Transparency is a hallmark of Stax owing to Multilayer fixed electrode MLER (Multi-Layer-Elect-Rords) technology – now, MLER-3 builds on two decades of Omega series breakthroughs, in a flagship of the future.  Superb acoustics from the metal mesh electrode let's air waves propagate as a straight plane towards the ear, enhanced thermocompression bonding allowing SR-X9000's electrostatic driver to achieve low air resistance and minimise stator reflections. There is a naturalness to behold about Stax's proudest release that's helped by an angled mesh guard reflecting sound back directly towards your ears rather than towards the side of the head. Soundstage from SR-X9000 appears in front of you following a frontal arc of soundstage – something that could only see Stax's legendary imaging qualities enhanced. All this in a package that'll stand the test of time, like its company. Tough machined aluminium cups minimise the effects of resonances and vibration, with replaceable cables standard on SR-X9000 to allow easy replacement in the unlikely event the cord fails. Hear this to start 2022 with a bang, via Stax's new generation of energisers – the SRM-700S, SRM-700T, and SRM-T8000. Also browse Stax's other electrostatic earspeakers here, or all our other headphones here.

SR60x is the perfect way to show someone new to Head-Fi the difference an open-back headphone makes. The simplest way to experience the Grado Labs sound, and a taste of finer things to come, the SR60x produces an impressive soundstage in an affordable headphone. A fourth-generation driver design features a more powerful magnetic circuit, a voice coil with decreased effective mass, and a reconfigured diaphragm. Re-engineering these components for Grado's 44mm drivers improves efficiency, reduces distortion, and preserves the harmonic integrity of your music. View all our Grado products here, or check out our other headphones here.

This piece has found an owner. // IF IT'S NOT AVAILABLE, WHY IS IT STILL LISTED? We do not archive Rossons that are sold from our page to keep a visual gallery to continue to inspire new RAD owners. If you're interested, click here and look out for those that are without the <ASK THE CREW> tags.  You can also reach us directly if there's a look you'd love to have but is already taken. 

iBasso Audio's Year 2020 contribution to Head-Fi involves a high definition, open back rendition of a monitoring sound. Two years of research after its predecessor, the SR-1 allowed study of strength to be distilled in the SR-2. A full open-back deploying Tesla magnetic flux technology with bio-cellulose dome diaphragms, iBasso's SR2 promises a wider soundstage and transparency that may lift elements waiting to be discovered in your music.  Package comes with a second pair of stock pads that add tuning ability shifting the SR-2's natural presentation to a tighter, tauter and faster one. Major HiFi wrote "things are looking up when I'm still thinking about how some tracks that I haven't tried might sound on the SR2". Audiophile Heaven wholeheartedly recommend SR2 "if you're looking for a comfortable, light, and well-made headphone, with a natural tonality, rich sound, with a natural soundstage, and with an excellent amount of detail for the price". Also view everything else from iBasso here, or check out our other headphones here.

Feel like dipping your toes into the world of electrostatic headphones? The SR-L300 from Stax makes for a perfect introductory pair that delivers sounds with such delicate transparency you could start rediscovering your music. Often paired with the SRM-252s as its designated energizer, there really is no better value proposition for a setup.  Alternatively, dive deeper into the electrifying world of Stax by checking out their other offerings!

The next steps for Audio-Technica’s ATH-ADX5000 didn’t lie in the creation of another flagship, but arguably something more important in ATH-ADX3000. Those TOTL technologies trickled down to birth this mid-tier marvel, placing its affordable exploits into the hands of more. Audio-Technica’s claim of being “the best sound for everyone” really comes to fruition here, with ADX3000 priced and performing at the sweet spot in 2024 between ATH-R70X and ADX5000. ADX3000 brings forth neutral, Harman-emphasised mids that clearly benefit from Audio-Technica’s Core Mount Technology – state-of-the-art on the ADX5000 in 2017 – being built of the same architecture to enable a truly open, undamped flow of air. Another exploit is it packing a 58mm dynamic driver, the largest this side of SGD$2,000 and joint runner-up for sheer size in all Head-Fi already. Never will one hear as open or effortless a soundstage, cast in front of them with nary an effort. ADX3000’s pristine, immaculate soundscape breathes naturally, materialising before you. But don’t mistake this as a bloodless affair devoid of guts. Paired with anything on up from iBasso Audio’s DC Elite, ADX3000 gains a gravitas and purpose in the low frequencies that make you pay attention, to a headphone that’s meant to do it all, for the long haul. [See Product Desc. For More] It’s no small feat that Audio-Technica were able to reproduce such a large 58mm driver that’s able to climb in high frequencies seemingly devoid of intermodulation and modal break-up. ADX3000 is an audibly low-distortion affair throughout, seemingly able to move pistonically at all frequencies. That achievement is only made more remarkable by the apparent absence of any damping material in ADX3000 apart from its earpads. Its driver starts with a sandwich driver core of softer material for effective damping at higher frequencies. This surface is coated with tungsten for the metal's stiffness, lightness and air acceleration properties moving at low frequencies. This means ADX3000's driver moves as a perfect piston over all frequencies up to and above its working range, keeping distortion down due to cone and modal break-up. Given Audio-Technica’s design goal of providing a clean, totally clear path of air towards the ear via a streamlined, svelte baffle with no acoustic impediments hanging off its inside, it’s remarkable what the company’s engineers did on a relatively small budget. That’s what 60 years of Audio-Technica’s audio know-how, and construction at their Japanese Naruse Machida plant, sounds like. The allowances for such a large driver were not for mere bragging rights.  By being built big, ADX3000’s 58mm driver’s cone can move less – by going large, the radiating driver surface area is increased exponentially on a comparable 40mm driver while reducing requirement pistonic movement substantially, to move the same amount of air and sound with better cone control.  ADX3000’s development period was a lengthy one, if one considers the seven years its ADX5000 sibling was on the market, and how Audio-Technica have churned out hits for six decades.  The former’s metallic material driver performs as effectively in the time domain as the frequency one, ADX3000’s ideal Q-factor not depending on tons of damping material that leads to a deader sound. Rather, transients zip and snap naturally and organically, without acoustic crutches. ADX3000’s purist construction means that this headphone can be nudged out of its comfort zone too, playing beyond the kind its creators directly intended for it. The extra ability to grant it sub and mis-bass response from sources is another feather to Audio-Technica’s versatile bow, responding and adapting to your listening needs, and chain. This is a heavyweight performance, from a 257 gram featherweight. Its 50ohm impedance gives it ability to scale with power, without fear of overdamping, so treat it to your ideal voltage sources such as Questyle Audio’s M15i and CMA18P too. Indeed, here’s a mid-price treat that really behaves like Audio-Technica’s co-flagship. Apt, that a 60-year-old company produces such a potentially timeless, made-in-Japan, heirloom. Check out the higher-specced ADX5000 that will love tube gear on the other hand here, all of Audio-Technica’s other classics here, and our other headphones here.

Nothing shows mastery over a transducer type like multiple types. HEDD Audio prove the foresight to their Air Motion Transformer (AMT) concept with the launch of HEDDPhone 2 GT, the audiophile counterpart to the award-winning HEDDPhone 2. HEDD, the AMT pioneers of 2020, proved they could do it first, and do it, again and again. HEDDPhone 2 GT remains tastefully accurate to the music but refrains from putting it under an audio microscope in the spirit of a recording tool. Instead, GT takes a step back, caressing your ears with an immersive approach to sound that invites you to stop analysing, but rather bask in your music's glory. Throughout, the technical aptitude of HEDDPhone 2 GT's full-range AMT keeps up with the demands of this tuning departure from the monitoring studio, and into one's lounge chair. [See Product Desc. For More] The beauty of a velocity-based driver, rather than the standard pressure-based type, is only half the story with HEDDPhone 2 GT. With a pleated driver surface area up to three times larger than contemporary dynamic, planar or electrostatic headphones, HEDD's third coming is a benchmark of transparency and audio purity. One of Hi-Fi speakers' most important technologies, the quality promised by an AMT tweeter has always been unquestioned, and HEDD made a full-range, full frequency response one possible with Variable Velocity Transform (VVT) in their first HEDDPhone. Now, HEDDPhone 2 GT adds practicality with its build and design. 25 percent lighter than its predecessor, a patent-pending HEDDband smart strap system allows height, width, curvature and even the clamping pressure to be tweaked to individual head shape for a complete earpad seal – all with HEDDPhone 2 GT still built entirely in Berlin, Germany. HEDD already impressed Head-Fi with the pioneering spirit of the AMT's creator, Oskar Heil, when releasing the first HEDDPhone. Now, bringing the HEDDPhone 2 GT up to 2024 standards of audio quality are specifically positioned layers of damping material around its AMT that yields extension up and down in frequency, as well as elimination of driver crinkling. Rather than moving back and forth as a pressure-type transducer (like 99 per cent of conventional driver technology on the market), HEDDPhone 2 GT's AMT is pleated with magnetic force acting to laterally squeeze air out of the driver's folds as an accordion would – according it the tag of being a velocity-based transducer. That allows air to accelerate towards the ear up to four times faster than a beryllium or diamond dynamic driver of huge rigidity and excursion might. But without the cost, or distortion associated. The AMT's ability to reproduce sound as it was recorded is unrivalled in speakers, and now in headphones. HEDD's VVT technology varies the fold lengths to aid this AMT in producing low frequencies below this tweeter technology's typical threshold of 3Khz, for high-quality, fast and accurate bass. That's an upgraded AMT driver that still retains all of its old spatial advantages, namely excellent horizontal dispersion. Because of that, HEDDPhone 2 GT produces real depth and a sound that truly sounds like it's coming from outside of the head – perhaps most fulfilling the claim that it's almost like listening to true speakers. Additional air compliance really grants breathing room and soundstage over its HEDDPhone 2 sibling, for equally high fidelity just packaged differently. Similarly, included velour earpads allow you to swap with GT's stock leather units for a different tuning. Coming in at 550 grams, HEDD's next major upgrade comes in the form of the HEDDband – lighter in construction, yet stronger and more ergonomic. Built to be adjusted on two axes, the vertical dimension sees owners able to adjust wearing height and curvature via a patent-pending belt secured system. The horizontal dimension also sees width and therefore clamping pressure customisable. So much thought has gone into turning HEDDPhone 2 GT not just into HEDD's most complete product, but one of Head-Fi's barometers of affordable quality made to last with every last detail considered. German-style. Built in Berlin, HEDDPhone 2 comes with a five-year warranty against manufacturer defects. Its accessorisation is something else too. Spare earpads, two cables – one balanced 4.4mm, another 1/4" – and 4.4mm-to-4-pin-XLR adapter all come neatly packed in a travel case so that studio professionals and audiophiles alike may bring HEDDPhone 2 GT to work and to play in equal measure. Reasonably easy to drive for decent amplification, HEDDPhone 2 GT's AMT is now 2dB more sensitive at 89dB/W. Portable behemoths like Cayin Audio's C9ii, Enleum's HPA-23RM and iBasso Audio's PB5 are plenty up to the task. Desktop power will truly unleash this AMT, though. Think of Cayin's iHA-8 or Questyle Audio's CMA18 for that purpose. While HEDDPhone 2 GT's flat impedance make HA-6A, HA-300B MK. II and Feliks Audio's Envy all transformer tube amplifier candidates. There is no ceiling to HEDDPhone's sound quality, and a step up to the Lina – one of the best synergies with dCS Data Conversion Systems' statement headphone amplification system – or Soul 170HA in no way overawes HEDD's flagship. The future is AMT, and the future is now with HEDDPhone 2 GT.  After you check yours out, proceed to explore HEDD's other HEDDPhone concepts here, or view all our other headphones here.

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is a premium bone-conduction headphone designed for active users, offering exceptional comfort and safety. It features 10th generation bone-conduction technology, delivering enhanced mids and highs for clearer sound. With up to 12 hours of battery life and a quick-charge feature providing 2.5 hours of use from just 5 minutes of charging, it's ideal for long workouts. Its IP55 rating ensures protection against sweat and splashes, and Bluetooth 5.3 provides stable connectivity. The lightweight 30.3g build ensures maximum comfort for runners, cyclists, and those needing ambient sound awareness​.

After opening up TH900 with TH909, Fostex have repeated the trick at the entry-level, doing the same to TH610 and bringing you their open-back TH616.  As opposed to its closed-back, measured-for-monitoring brethren, TH616 is full of exuberance. Tuned to show off the passion and energy a historic company like Fostex have for releasing hits, this latest limited-edition is full of zeal and life. Fostex's big Biodyna drivers sit below black walnut wood cups and plumb the depths of potent, emphasised bass – together with a sense of mid-range space and treble sparkle that hint at products many times more expensive. [See Product Desc. For More] Fostex build TH616 in beautiful black walnut housings, a plain finish that still reeks of sophistication, finesse and engagement. Do judge this book by its cover, at the sound quality awaiting you. It's that delightful emphasis at the frequency extremes that makes TH616 particularly exciting news and listening for audiophiles. But that U-shaped approach also morphs to a flat line at quieter listening, granting the impression of exciting accuracy and neutrality. Indeed, Fostex exploits the Fletcher-Munson effect to good effect in TH616, compensating where bass and treble extremes fall off at low volumes with its loudness contour. Quiet listening won't hinder music lovers from experiencing a flat frequency response. Nor will it stunt the natural dynamic movements inherent to your precious music – TH616 is just apt at reproducing smaller detail. And when you turn the music up, Fostex built in a driver and acoustics that keeps every note and imaging cue tidily arranged, befitting the recording when sonics are brought to SPL life. TH616's 50mm driver is made of Biodyna. Stiff and lightweight as a diaphragm but also promising excellent damping, this biocellulose material allows Fostex to keep the large driver under control at all times even as frequencies rise, averting any harsh intermodulation due to cone modal break-up. Notes reverberate on, providing a kind of immersion that makes an impression. Wooden grills are carved out of TH616's housings, randomising resonance points and eliminating standing waves while appearing gorgeous to boot. A one-tesla magnet keeps its driver locked down and under control at all times. Fostex therefore have released a mid-tier headphone that makes claim to get you all the way, carving a space for itself in an ever-more competitive market with its closed-back isolation. But for those seeking even better, browse how Fostex simply whets our appetites for what is to come at flagship level here, or browse our other headphones here.