Displaying items by tag: headphones - StereoLife Magazine

Grado Labs revealed the Signature S550, the latest addition to its growing Signature Line of open-back headphones and the fourth model in the series following the earlier S950 and S750 variants. Designed as a wood-housed dynamic headphone tuned for a warmer and more relaxed presentation than some traditional Grado designs, the S550 combines the company's 50 mm S2 driver platform with Brazilian walnut earcups and a modular cable architecture intended to support both desktop and portable listening systems.

Grado Labs has introduced the Classic Series, a newly defined structure within its headphone portfolio that brings together several of the company's most recognizable open-back models under a single lineup while incorporating the latest X2 driver platform across the range. The move formalizes the role of these long-standing designs within Grado's evolving product architecture, positioning the Classic Series alongside the Signature Line and Wireless Series as one of the three pillars of the manufacturer's current headphone catalog.

Grell is preparing a broader international rollout of the OAE2, an open-back headphone developed by Axel Grell and positioned as a research-led alternative to more conventional audiophile designs. What makes the OAE2 interesting is that it does not present itself as just another open-back headphone chasing width, sparkle, or exaggerated spaciousness. Grell's concept is based on a front-oriented acoustic layout intended to interact more deliberately with the outer ear, preserving some of the localization cues we normally associate with loudspeaker listening rather than feeding sound straight into the ear canal in the usual headphone fashion. The company describes this approach through its Front-sided Sound Field Modulation system, positioning the OAE2 as a headphone meant to sound more externalized, more stable, and closer in perspective to nearfield monitors than to a typical 'in-head' presentation.

Écoute Audio has introduced the TH1, a pair of high-end wireless headphones built around a signal architecture more typical of a compact hi-fi system than a conventional Bluetooth design. Instead of relying on an integrated system-on-chip solution that combines decoding, processing and amplification in a single platform, the TH1 use a discrete dual-mono topology with a dedicated DAC stage, a tube preamplifier and separate Class A/B amplification for each channel. The result is a product positioned not simply as another premium portable headset but as a wearable extension of traditional hi-fi design logic.

Meze Audio is expanding its in-ear monitor range with the new Astru, a model positioned as the company's flagship single dynamic-driver IEM. It is aimed at listeners looking for the highest possible sound quality from a relatively simple driver architecture, without moving into the price territory of the most exclusive multi-driver high-end designs. The Romanian manufacturer emphasises that Astru is not intended to compete through driver count or catalogue complexity, but rather to develop a long-standing design philosophy built around the idea that a single carefully engineered driver can deliver high resolution, convincing layering and a spacious, coherent presentation.

Jabra's latest Evolve3 headsets are set to arrive as the Danish brand's new answer to a working life that moves constantly between the office, home, cafés and airports. The company is launching two models at once - the over-ear Evolve3 85 and the on-ear Evolve3 75 - both designed to combine professional call quality with the comfort and visual polish more often associated with consumer headphones. Jabra describes them as the first genuinely universal headsets in its portfolio, built for work, entertainment and the growing number of workflows that now involve AI-driven tools. In that sense, the new Evolve3 line is clearly intended to address three of the trends shaping the modern workplace - rising expectations around audio quality, a stronger focus on design and the increasing role of AI in everyday communication and productivity.

FiiO is expanding its in-ear headphone range with the JH13, a hybrid model aimed at users who want to try a more advanced driver configuration without spending very much. According to the manufacturer, these IEMs are intended to combine technology associated with more expensive designs with straightforward usability and easy drivability from typical mobile sources. At the centre of the JH13 is a three-driver hybrid layout consisting of a 10mm dynamic driver for the low end and a pair of balanced armature drivers handling the upper registers. A specially designed crossover is meant to integrate both sections smoothly, avoiding the disjointed character that can sometimes affect entry-level hybrids and delivering a clearer, more layered presentation than a typical single dynamic driver design.

Fostex is bringing the next generation of its flagship dynamic headphones in the form of the TH910 and TH919. These two models build on the legacy of the TH900 series, combining Japanese craftsmanship with a new version of the BioDyna driver and a revised, lighter mechanical structure. They are aimed at demanding music lovers and professional users who expect not only striking design, but also a carefully developed sound with a clear sense of the Japanese audio tradition still intact. The TH910 is the closed-back version, focused on isolation and a more intimate presentation, while the TH919 is an open-back design created to deliver a more natural and spacious sound field.

Sendy Audio has introduced Egret, a new open-back planar magnetic headphone that pairs the company's latest nano-diaphragm technology with its familiar handcrafted wooden construction. Developed from the ground up with a focus on accuracy, refinement and long-term comfort, Egret is presented as the next step in Sendy's approach to natural, high-resolution sound, combining a large-format planar driver with modern fabrication techniques and a visually distinctive solid wood housing.

FiiO is expanding its line-up of advanced portable players with a new flagship model, the M27. The device has been designed as a portable-desktop crossover, combining the freedom of listening on the move with the performance and flexibility of a full-size desktop component. In practice the M27 can work both as a standalone player with a powerful headphone amplifier and as a high-quality digital source in an elaborate stereo system, which according to the manufacturer is intended to set a new benchmark in the high-end portable player segment.