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HiFi Audio List

Best Headphone Brands

Headphone brands come and go even faster than speaker brands, perhaps because the barrier to entry is lower. The ones at the top of this list have stayed there by being right more often than they were loud.
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Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
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Headphone brands come and go even faster than speaker brands, perhaps because the barrier to entry is lower. The ones at the top of this list have stayed there by being right more often than they were loud.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer

Welcome

Headphone hifi has its own set of brands, from the giants, Sennheiser, Focal, Audeze and HIFIMAN, to the small shops like ZMF and Dan Clark, and the Chinese makers that now lead the IEM market. Many make nothing but headphones and the amplifiers to drive them. Every headphone brand we track, ranked by our popularity score.

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Brands

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FIIO
$500
/
Rank #
226
FIIO's stated aim is hifi with style at favorable prices, spread across portable players, Bluetooth DAC/amps, desktop units and in-ear monitors. The Chinese company was established in 2007, and its name joins the Fi of fidelity with the 1 and 0 of digital. Its portable DAC/amps combine Bluetooth, high output power and a desktop mode, and its control app adds parametric EQ. The K11 R2R uses a 24-bit R2R resistor ladder, and the K17 uses two AK4499 DAC chips. Owners with demanding headphones can look at the K19, built for high current output.
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  • FIIO combines Bluetooth capability, high power output, and a desktop mode in their portable DAC/amp designs.
  • They offer a high degree of user customization through their control app, allowing for adjustments such as parametric EQ and device behaviors.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
FIIO
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Brand Page
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Focal
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
10
Focal's idea is the inverted dome tweeter, in aluminum and magnesium or, higher up the range, beryllium, shaped for wide dispersion and low distortion. The French company has made speakers since 1979 and builds its top models in Saint-Étienne, with cabinets from its own workshop in Bourbon-Lancy. Many of its mid-bass drivers use light, rigid flax or W composite sandwich cones. The range climbs from Theva through Aria Evo X, Kanta and Sopra to the Utopia line. Listeners who want a studio monitor at home can start with the Shape 65.
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  • Focal monitors are noted for their "mid-forward" sound, guiding users toward balanced mixes, particularly in the midrange frequencies, which aids in crucial EQ and dynamics decisions.
  • They integrate an inverted dome tweeter crafted from Aluminum/Magnesium or Beryllium, optimizing high-frequency dispersion and minimizing distortion through back wave absorption.
  • Focal frequently employs flax or "W" composite sandwich cones in their mid-bass drivers, providing a lightweight yet rigid diaphragm construction that delivers exceptional definition and controlled bass.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Focal
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HIFIMAN
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
286
HIFIMAN is the reason planar magnetic headphones are no longer exotic. Started by Dr. Fang Bian in 2005, the Chinese company builds planars with nanometer-thin diaphragms and open "Stealth Magnet" arrays shaped so sound passes through with less turbulence and distortion, and it also makes electrostatic headphones at lower prices than the category usually asks. The tuning varies from warm to neutral across the range, so it pays to choose a model by sound, and the Sundara and the Arya are both on our Best Open-Back Headphones list.
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  • HIFIMAN offers a wide range of headphone models, varying in tonality from warm to neutral to balanced, allowing for different listening preferences and catering to various audiophile tastes.
  • The brand is known for their "Stealth Magnet" design which reduces wave diffraction turbulence to lower distortion and improve transparency.
  • They incorporate planar magnetic drivers in many of their headphones, known for their speed, detail, and impactful bass response.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
HIFIMAN
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Brand Page
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iFi
$500
/
Rank #
19
iFi's idea is affordable hifi in versatile boxes, from portable DAC/amps to desktop units. The British company, founded in 2012 and based in Southport, often combines a DAC and headphone amplifier in one unit, sometimes with Bluetooth, and adds its own sound tools such as XBass and XSpace. The GO bar is a compact portable DAC/amp with iEMatch and Turbo modes to suit the headphones in use, and the iDSD Diablo 2 goes past 5,000mW for demanding headphones. The ZEN Phono 3 heads our Best Phono Preamps list.
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  • iFi offers a wide range of devices, from portable to desktop solutions, catering to diverse audio needs and preferences.
  • They emphasize versatility, often combining multiple functionalities like DAC, amplifier, and Bluetooth connectivity in a single unit.
  • iFi employs its own custom technologies and features, such as XBass and XSpace, to enhance the listening experience, tailoring sound to individual preferences.
  • The brand is known for its commitment to high-resolution audio, supporting various formats, including DSD, MQA, and lossless Bluetooth codecs.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
iFi
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MOONDROP
$500
/
Rank #
784
Moondrop made the inexpensive in-ear monitor worth taking seriously. The Chinese company, founded in Chengdu in 2015, tunes to measured targets, the Harman curve or its own in-house target, using its own Klippel laboratory, and sells that tuning at prices that start around $20. The range runs from single dynamic drivers to tribrid designs with planar drivers in one shell, and on to full-size planar headphones such as the Para 2 and Cosmo. Its packaging and artwork often draw on anime.
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  •  Moondrop is recognized for its distinct design aesthetic, often incorporating anime-inspired elements and artistic visuals into its packaging and product design.
  • The brand prioritizes a tuning style based on clear and objective measurements, striving for accuracy often based on the Harman target or their own in-house VSDF target.
  • They offer a range of products, particularly IEMs, that aim to balance high sonic quality with competitive pricing, making them accessible to a wide range of audiophiles.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
MOONDROP
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Bang & Olufsen
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
811
Bang & Olufsen designs its products around form as much as sound, with sculptural shapes and high-grade materials that reviewers single out across the range. The Danish company, founded in 1925, makes speakers, headphones and televisions, and some of its speakers use Acoustic Lens Technology to spread sound 180 degrees horizontally. Its headphones run from the Beoplay EX earbuds to over-ear models. The Beoplay HX has an app-based equalizer for tuning the sound, the Beoplay H95 adds stronger noise cancellation, and the Beoplay H100 flagship adds a detachable cable and aptX support.
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  • Bang & Olufsen products exhibit exceptional build quality and use premium materials, resulting in a luxurious feel and sophisticated aesthetic.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Bang & Olufsen
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Sennheiser
$500
/
Rank #
539
Sennheiser made the first open-back headphone, the HD 414 of 1968, and the open-back is still the center of its hifi range. The HD 600 has been the reference at its price for twenty-five years, the HD 660S2 is the warmer, fuller step up, and the HD 800 S, built for detailed, analytical listening, is on our Best Open-Back Headphones list. The HD 820 is the closed-back alternative, and then there is the HE 1, with its high-voltage amplifiers built into the earcups and a chassis cut from Carrara marble.
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Learn about the brand

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Sennheiser
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Brand Page
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Schiit
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
62
Schiit is where a lot of people buy their first serious headphone amplifier or DAC. The American company, started in a garage in 2010, sells direct, builds everything in the United States, and keeps most of its range under $1,000. Many of its products are modular, with DAC and USB boards that can be swapped for newer ones without replacing the whole unit. The Magni amplifier and Modi DAC are the classic first stack, the Yggdrasil is the flagship DAC, and the company's humorous, plain-spoken voice has built an unusually loyal following.
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  • Schiit Audio offers product modularity, allowing users to upgrade individual components like DAC and USB boards within their existing devices, extending product lifespan and enhancing performance over time.
  • They directly challenge industry norms by releasing new versions of flagship products (like the Yggdrasil) at lower prices than existing models.
  • The brand focuses on in-house design and manufacturing, keeping production and component sourcing largely within the US.
  • Schiit is known for its idiosyncratic, humorous marketing and branding. This aims to counter hifi audio pretentiousness and appeal to a broader customer base.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Schiit
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Brand Page
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Audio-Technica
$500
/
Rank #
593
Audio-Technica is a Japanese audio company, established in 1962. First known for phonograph cartridges, it now makes headphones, turntables, cartridges and microphones for home and studio use, and reviewers single out sturdy, comfortable builds. The ATH-M70x is a closed-back studio monitor built for isolation and long sessions, while the open-back ATH-R70xa is a reference model for mixing and detailed listening. At the top, the company hand-finishes wooden headphones in Japanese woods with traditional lacquer. The open-air ATH-AD500X suits relaxed listening at home, and the ATH-GDL3 brings an open-back design to gaming.
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  • Audio-Technica's products are known for their sturdy and comfortable build, making them suitable for long listening sessions.
  • Audio-Technica offers open-back headphone designs, like the ATH-GDL3, geared toward gamers and audiophiles seeking a wider soundstage, a feature uncommon among gaming headsets.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Audio-Technica
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beyerdynamic
$500
/
Rank #
38
beyerdynamic is a German maker of headphones and microphones, founded in 1924. Its T1 and T5 use the company's Tesla drivers and are made at its own site in Heilbronn. Many models have a neutral, analytical sound that audio professionals prize for mixing and mastering. Velour earpads and padded headbands are made for long sessions, and replaceable parts give the headphones a long working life. The open-back models suit critical listening and single-player gaming for their wide soundstage, and the DT 990 PRO is on our Best Open-Back Headphones list.
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  • Beyerdynamic emphasizes durable, high-quality construction in its products, with replaceable parts ensuring a long product lifespan that stands out from competitors.
  • The brand's open-back headphones are known for their exceptional spatial audio, creating a realistic and immersive soundstage prized for single-player gaming and critical listening.
  • Comfort is a key focus, with Beyerdynamic utilizing plush velour earpads and padded headbands designed for extended listening sessions, making them a top choice for those prioritizing comfort.
  • They often provide a neutral and analytical sound signature, prized by audio professionals for mixing and mastering, though this can sometimes result in a more clinical or less "fun" listening experience compared to some consumer headphones.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
beyerdynamic
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final
$500
/
Rank #
594
final is a Japanese earphone and headphone maker based in Kawasaki, where it develops and produces its own drivers and assembles its high-end models in its own factory. It also builds its own jigs and machines. The range spans planar magnetic headphones to entry-level earphones, and many models are voiced for a purpose, such as the VR2000 and VR3000 for gaming. Reviewers praise its earphones built on one full-range balanced armature driver, and their spacious soundstages. The UX3000 is a wireless noise-canceling headphone with a driver designed for the stresses of active noise cancellation.
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  • Final Audio is known for its expertise in balanced armature driver technology, crafting single full-range drivers that deliver detailed yet non-fatiguing audio, challenging the common multi-driver approach.
  • Final Audio designs their products with specific listening purposes in mind, catering to genres like gaming, binaural recordings, or emphasizing certain sonic qualities like presence and clarity.
  • The brand's earphones are often praised for their immersive and spacious soundstages, creating a 3D audio experience that extends beyond the physical confines of the housings.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
final
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Sony
$500
/
Rank #
795
Sony is a Japanese electronics company whose headphone range covers everyday wireless models as well as studio and audiophile designs. It developed the LDAC Bluetooth codec, which carries wireless audio at up to 990 kbps, and 360 Reality Audio, which tailors spatial playback to photos of the listener's ears. The WH-CH720N brings active noise cancellation to an easy-to-use, portable design for daily commuting, and the WH-1000XM5 adds more advanced noise cancellation and tuning. The MDR-MV1 is tuned for neutral, accurate studio work, and the MDR-Z1R uses high-resolution drivers for detailed listening.
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Learn about the brand

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Sony
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THIEAUDIO
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
598
Thieaudio is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors, launched in 2019. It grew out of a group of DIY enthusiasts and specializes in tribrid designs that mix dynamic, balanced armature and electrostatic drivers in one shell. The Prestige LTD, for example, uses nine drivers of three types and a five-way crossover. The Legacy 2 and Legacy 4 are the entry models, and the V16 Divinity and Valhalla are at the top of the range. The Monarch MKIII heads our Best IEMs list, and the Oracle is on it too.
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  • ThieAudio specializes in tribrid IEM designs, uniquely combining dynamic, balanced armature, and electrostatic drivers.
  • They are known for meticulously tuning their IEMs, often aiming for a balance between analytical precision and a musical, engaging listening experience.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
THIEAUDIO
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1MORE
$500
/
Rank #
474
1MORE is a Chinese headphone maker with wired in-ear models, noise-canceling over-ears, and true wireless and open-ear earbuds. Many of its products are tuned with the help of Grammy-winning sound engineers, and its multi-driver wired earphones pair a dynamic driver with balanced armatures. The Penta Driver uses one diamond-like carbon dynamic driver and four balanced armatures in aluminum chambers, with a detachable MMCX cable. The SonoFlow Pro over-ears use QuietMax noise cancellation and a 40mm DLC driver, and the Evo earbuds connect to two devices at once and support LDAC for hi-res Bluetooth listening.
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  • 1More products are known for being tuned with the assistance of Grammy Award-winning sound engineers.
  • They're known for implementing multiple drivers (triple, quad, penta) in their earphones, often combining dynamic and balanced armature or planar magnetic drivers.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
1MORE
Page
Brand Page
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Meze
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
89
Meze Audio is a Romanian headphone maker known for natural materials, with wood ear cups and leather on many models. Its headphones are held together with screws and metal fixings, so they come apart easily and parts can be replaced. Self-adjusting headbands and carefully chosen pads keep the range comfortable. The flagship Elite Tungsten and the closed-back Liric use the Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array driver. The closed-back 99 Neo has foam pads that isolate well, which suits listening at home. The 109 PRO and Empyrean II are on our Best Open-Back Headphones list.
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  • Meze's products exhibit a distinctive aesthetic, often incorporating natural materials like wood and leather, offering a blend of modern and classic design elements.
  • The brand prioritizes repairability and longevity in its designs by using screws and metal fixings to facilitate easy disassembly and part replacement.
  • Meze headphones consistently receive praise for exceptional comfort, due to features such as self-adjusting headbands, well-designed earcups, and carefully selected padding materials.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

Our strongest differentiator is adding the comfort element to the equation. Most headphone models are focused only on technological advancements, forgetting that comfort and ease of wear are also very important factors when choosing an object that you intend to wear for hours on end.

That is why our headphones are specifically designed to be lightweight and to combat any pressure points that can occur when wearing them for long periods of time. 

What's your approach to customer support?

Our clients have the possibility to contact either the dealers/distributors or our support department directly, through our support page: https://mezeaudio.com/pages/contact.

Our headphones are designed to be fully serviceable, so every part is easy to change, in case there’s an issue. There is no glue, just nuts and bolts, so anyone can change any part of the headphone with just a screwdriver.

We are quick to solve any problem as soon as it occurs and in some instances, we do go above and beyond to help our customers. One time, I remember someone was actually wondering if our 109 PRO model's ear cups are really made of wood, so we disassembled a unit, removed the ear cups, broke them into pieces and sent him pictures with the wood pulp, to show that we do use real wood, haha!

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

My favourites would be (not necessarily in this order): Sevdaliza - Bluecid, Isaac Gracie - Silhouette of you, and lately, Sleep Token - Damocles or Caramel.

What other products pair best with yours?

Thankfully, there are a lot of good products on the market that have strong synergy with our products, and we are fortunate enough to have great partners in the industry to pair our headphones with.

We also received very good feedback from our customers testing the pairings at different trade shows, and they prefer the following: Chord Dave, Feliks Envy, Ferrum Wandla + Oor + Hypsos combo, the DCS Lina stack, Auris Headonia, Linear Tube Audio Aero + Velo combo, and many many more, these is just top of the mind.

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Meze
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Benchmark
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
102
Benchmark is an American maker of DACs, amplifiers and preamplifiers, started by Allen H. Burdick to supply television broadcast facilities. Its electronics are built and tested in Syracuse, New York, and certified for professional and home use. The company's goal is to keep noise and distortion below the threshold of hearing. The AHB2 power amplifier, which carries Burdick's initials, uses a patented THX AAA feed-forward design. The DAC3 B suits systems that already have a preamplifier, the DAC3 L adds remote control and home theater bypass, and the DAC3 HGC builds in a headphone amplifier.
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  • Benchmark's products are rooted in professional electronics, emphasizing ultra-low distortion and noise for clean sound. While engineering-oriented, they also value listening tests in product development.
  • The brand often incorporates THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (AAA) technology, which utilizes a patented feed-forward design to drastically reduce harmonic, intermodulation, and crossover distortion, contributing to sonic transparency.
  • Benchmark implements highly precise volume controls, often using relay-based systems with numerous small steps (e.g., 256 steps in 0.5dB increments) to minimize noise and allow for accurate level adjustments.
  • They meticulously focus on optimizing the signal path and rejecting interference; for instance, they prefer balanced connections and employ shielding techniques to maintain signal integrity.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Benchmark
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Brand Page
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AKG
$500
/
Rank #
809
AKG is an Austrian headphone maker, founded in 1947, whose range spans studio reference models and wireless headphones. Reviewers hear its studio headphones as close to neutral, with a wide soundstage and precise placement, and many use a self-adjusting hammock-style headband that spreads the weight for comfort. The open-back K812 and closed-back K872 both use a 53mm transducer, the largest AKG has built, with a 1.5 Tesla magnet and a two-layer voice coil. The K371-BT folds up and works over Bluetooth or a cable, and the N9 Hybrid adds adaptive noise canceling for noisy places.
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  • AKG studio headphones are frequently recognized for their wide and immersive soundstage, creating a great sense of depth and accurate placement .
  • The brand delivers a near-neutral sound profiles in its headphones, catering to the needs of audio professionals and critical listeners.
  • They often utilize a distinctive "hammock-style" self-adjusting headband that equally distributes weight, enhancing comfort for extended listening sessions.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
AKG
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Campfire Audio
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
777
Campfire Audio is an American in-ear monitor maker in Portland, Oregon, started by the team behind ALO Audio cables and amplifiers. About ten people design every model there and hand-assemble the wired earphones. Its breakthrough was the Andromeda, five balanced armatures in a faceted green aluminum shell, and the Andromeda Emerald Sea carries the design on today. The Astrolith uses two planar magnetic drivers and is on our Best IEMs list with the Solaris Stellar Horizon, while the compact Axion uses a single full-range silicon dynamic driver and a USB-C connection for portable listening.
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  • Campfire Audio is known for its unique and often bold aesthetic designs, often employing striking color palettes, transparent housings showcasing internal components, and unconventional shapes.
  • They offer a high degree of customization, allowing customers to choose between universal or custom-fit options, select cable terminations, and opt for different accessory packages.
  • They often boast a spacious and holographic soundstage, providing excellent instrument separation and precise imaging, creating an immersive listening experience akin to over-ear headphones.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Campfire Audio
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dCS
$20,001-$40,000
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Rank #
93
dCS is a British maker of digital playback equipment, founded in 1987. Its work began in radar and moved from recording studios into homes. The DACs are built around the Ring DAC, a converter dCS designs in both hardware and software, with selectable filters, mapping and upsampling. Firmware updates and APEX hardware upgrades bring new features to existing units. The Bartók Apex puts a DAC, streamer, preamplifier and headphone amplifier in one box, and the Vivaldi splits DAC, upsampler, clock and transport into separate units. The Lina Network DAC is on our Best DACs list.
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  • They develop and manufactures their own proprietary Ring DAC technology, including the hardware and software, allowing for unparalleled control over digital-to-analog conversion.
  • dCS equipment, particularly those with the Ring DAC, offers a highly customizable listening experience through user-selectable digital filters, mapping algorithms, and upsampling options.
  • The APEX upgrades represent a commitment to backward compatibility, allowing owners of existing dCS products to benefit from the latest advancements through hardware or software modifications.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
dCS
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Edifier
$500
/
Rank #
781
Edifier is a Chinese audio company that makes headphones, earbuds, powered bookshelf speakers and studio monitors. Its headphones go from noise-canceling models such as the W820NB and ES850NB up to the Stax Spirit S3 and Stax Spirit S5, which use planar magnetic drivers. Reviewers point to strong bass, clarity and balance for the money, and to foldable, lightweight designs that suit travel. Many models work with the Edifier Connect app, which lets owners set their own EQ and customize the controls. The Stax Spirit S3 is on our Best Planar Magnetic Headphones list.
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  • Edifier headphones frequently include access to the Edifier Connect app, offering users options to personalize EQ settings, customize controls, and conserve hearing.
  • The brand is consistently lauded for delivering a great sonic experience, with impressive bass, clarity, and overall balance, considering their affordable price points.
  • Edifier headphones are celebrated for a foldable and lightweight design focused on user comfort for extended wear, making them ideal for travel and daily use.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Edifier
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64 Audio
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
776
64 Audio is an American maker of in-ear monitors, started by sound engineer Vitaliy Belonozhko, who saw the advantages of IEMs over stage floor wedges. Its tia drivers are open balanced armatures in custom acoustic chambers with no tubes or dampers. LID circuitry keeps the tuning consistent whatever the output impedance of the source device. Owners can swap Apex modules, which vent pressure from the ear canal to reduce listening fatigue and subtly change the bass. The U4s and Fourté are on our Best IEMs list.
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  • 64 Audio utilizes a unique "tia" (tubeless in-ear audio) system, which eliminates traditional tubes and dampers in favor of open balanced armature drivers set within custom-designed acoustic chambers, with a single bore nozzle to maximize coherence and minimize resonances.
  • They implement "Apex" technology across their IEM lines, a pneumatically controlled venting system using swappable modules designed to alleviate pressure in the ear canal, thereby reducing listening fatigue, in addition to subtly modifying the low-end response.
  • 64 Audio offers a fully computerized CIEM manufacturing process, utilizing digital ear mold scanning, software trimming, and 3D printing which significantly reduces turnaround time, allows for precise fits, and retains customer ear mold data for future purchases.
  • The brand distinguishes itself by designing IEMs to maintain a consistent sound signature regardless of the source device's output impedance through its proprietary "LID" (Linear Impedance Design) tech.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
64 Audio
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aune
$500
/
Rank #
162
aune is a Chinese maker of DACs and headphone amplifiers. Its products start with the portable BU1 and the Yuki USB DAC and go up to the S9c Pro DAC and the S17 Pro. Many of its amplifiers use fully discrete Class A circuits with toroidal transformers, and reviewers describe the sound as warm, smooth and natural. Several models have swappable op-amps, so owners can change the sound to suit their taste. The cases often use an arc shape with the internal parts on view.
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  • Aune distinguishes itself by implementing fully discrete Class A amplification in many of its products, resulting in a warm, smooth, and natural sound signature valued by audiophiles seeking an alternative to clinical-sounding amplifiers.
  • They prioritize high-quality components, such as toroidal transformers, audiophile-grade capacitors, and hand-picked transistors, to achieve exceptional sonic performance in their price range.
  • AUNE's unique design language, often characterized by an "arc" shape and visible internal components, sets its products apart aesthetically from more generic-looking audio gear.
  • The brand offers a range of products that feature swappable op-amps, enabling users to customize the sound signature according to their preferences.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

DACs are relatively straightforward in concept, but creating a truly outstanding one takes a lot of effort. We do have some unique design philosophies for our DAC products.In the past, our DAC lineup has included many technical highlights—for example, our proprietary PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) technology. This ensures adaptive compatibility across different input sample rates while maintaining synchronization between the DAC and clock signal.Another key feature is that our DACs are designed with independent clock input interfaces from the outset. They can accept external clock signals and even allow seamless switching between internal and external clock sources without interrupting operation. While external clock input is typically reserved for high-end DACs, we insist on supporting it even in entry-level models. Our emphasis on clock signal handling is a major differentiator from our competitors.So if we were to expand on this topic, we’d certainly mention more than just two technical innovations.

What's your approach to customer support?

Generally speaking, our after-sales service policy recommends that users contact the dealer from whom they purchased the product. This is the most direct and convenient way to resolve issues—whether it’s for repairs or replacement due to product faults—allowing for the quickest resolution. This same policy applies to our official online stores. In most cases, we don’t recommend customers contact us directly, because it’s difficult to accurately demonstrate and identify issues without in-person evaluation. Direct communication with us may also lead to unnecessary delays or extra logistics costs and taxes. Working through the dealer allows for more efficient repairs or exchanges.That said, if users have questions about product usage, we’re absolutely happy for them to contact us directly for timely answers and technical support.

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

This is definitely a sensitive question, but we’re not surprised that it comes up. We respect how different brand designers interpret music reproduction, and we fully recognize that mixing and matching different brands is one of the biggest joys for audio enthusiasts. In fact, we often do this ourselves.

Aside from it being fun, it also helps us discover potential compatibility issues with our own products. For example, I think Violectric headphone amps pair quite well with our DACs. But we don’t recommend that people simply copy our choices. To achieve the sound we prefer, we often modify other brands’ gear to best match our products. Through this process, we also gain completely new design inspiration.

Just like others discover their own pairing experiences, we believe there’s no such thing as the “correct” sound—only the sound that aligns with your own preferences.

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
aune
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Kinera
$500
/
Rank #
791
Kinera is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors, founded by Aaron Yu, and each of its product lines starts from a mythological or artistic theme, often from Norse mythology. Many models have hand-painted faceplates, so no two pairs look quite alike. The IEMs mix dynamic, balanced armature and electrostatic drivers in hybrid layouts, and Kinera develops its own Pulse dynamic drivers. The Imperial Baldr 2.0 combines all three driver types with detachable cables, and the URD is on our Best IEMs list.
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  • Kinera's IEMs have uniquely artistic, hand-painted designs, making each pair a visually distinctive piece.
  • They use a variety of driver technologies (DD, BA, EST, and even bone conduction) often combined in complex hybrid configurations, striving for a specific sonic goal which varies across product lines.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Kinera
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SIVGA
$500
/
Rank #
819
SIVGA is a headphone maker from Dongguan, China, established in 2016. Its headphones are built around wooden housings, in solid rosewood, black walnut, zebrawood, white maple and green sandalwood, and each wooden part is sanded by hand. Many models pair the wood with a large dynamic driver, and each gets its own tuning. The Robin is a closed-back redwood design, and the SV023 uses walnut cups and a higher-impedance driver suited to a desktop amplifier. The open-back Phoenix is on our Best Open-Back Headphones list.
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  • The brand deviates from a singular house sound, offering a variety of sonic profiles across its product line, catering to diverse listening preferences.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
SIVGA
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Noble
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
785
Noble Audio is an American in-ear monitor maker, formed in 2013 by John Moulton. Based in Whitehouse, Texas, it builds custom-fit and universal earphones around balanced armature drivers engineered for its own designs. The Viking Ragnar (Universal Fit) mixes dynamic, balanced armature and electrostatic drivers in an all-metal body. The Stage 3 is built for musicians on stage, and the FoKus Apollo is a wireless over-ear headphone that pairs dynamic and planar drivers.
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  • Noble’s product line features custom-built balanced armature drivers, meaning they are engineered specifically for their IEMs rather than using off-the-shelf components.
  • They use a unique hybrid driver configurations in their IEMs, such as their "quadbrid" design that incorporates dynamic, balanced armature, electrostatic, and bone conduction drivers within a single product.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Noble
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Music Hall
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
132
Music Hall is an American maker of turntables and electronics that has been in business since 1985. Many of its turntables use a dual plinth damped with Sorbothane hemispheres to isolate the platter and tonearm from the motor, and the MMF-9.3 goes to three plinths with a decoupled motor and a carbon fiber tonearm with adjustable VTA. The US-1 has a phono stage built in, so it plugs into an amplifier without a separate phono preamp. The Classic, the company's best-selling turntable, is on our Best Turntables for Beginners list.
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  • The brand's turntables frequently feature a dual-plinth design with Sorbothane hemispheres for vibration damping, enhancing sonic clarity by isolating the platter and tonearm.
  • Music Hall offers models with built-in phono preamplifiers, providing flexibility for use with various audio systems and allowing for future upgrades with external phono stages.
  • They are known for incorporating user-friendly features like adjustable VTA (Vertical Tracking Angle) which lets listeners optimize stylus alignment for different record thicknesses.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Music Hall
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Questyle
$500
/
Rank #
796
Questyle is a Chinese maker of DACs and headphone amplifiers built around Current Mode Amplification, which handles gain and feedback in the current domain before converting the signal to voltage, with the aim of lowering distortion. The products have a functional, professional look and plenty of inputs and outputs to suit different headphones, IEMs and systems. The CMA Fifteen and CMA 18 Master are desktop units, and the M15i, M12i and M15C are small mobile DAC/amps. The NHB 12 is MFi certified and supports Apple Lossless on Apple devices.
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  • Questyle's core technology is Current Mode Amplification, which aims to minimize distortion and provides a more accurate representation of the original recording.
  • They prioritize a "no-frills" approach, focusing on robust build quality, functional design, and clean, detailed sound reproduction over purely aesthetic elements, often described as "professional" or "industrial."
  • Questyle's products, especially DAC/amps, are known for their versatility in inputs and outputs to accommodate a wide range of headphones, IEMs, and audio systems.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Questyle
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Dan Clark Audio
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
122
Dan Clark Audio is an American headphone maker, founded in 2012 by Dan Clark. It builds open and closed planar magnetic headphones and holds six patents. Its Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System uses waveguides and resonators to control standing waves and shape the treble, and its V-Planar drivers have textures molded into the diaphragm to improve bass and stability. Some models fold to half their size on a Nitinol memory-metal gimbal for travel. The Corina Reference is electrostatic, and the Stealth, Noire X and E3 are on our Best Planar Magnetic Headphones list.
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  • Dan Clark Audio headphones utilize a unique folding gimbal design, using Nitinol memory metal, which enables the headphones to fold to half their size for enhanced portability.
  • DCA incorporates a proprietary Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS) into their headphones, which integrates waveguides, diffusion control, and resonators to eliminate standing waves and precisely shape the high-frequency response.
  • The brand uses V-Planar technology in their planar magnetic drivers, molding textures on the driver surface to optimize low-frequency performance and improve diaphragm stability.
  • Dan Clark Audio designs its products with a focus on comfort for extended listening sessions, evident in features like ergonomic head straps, lightweight construction, and carefully chosen earpad materials.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Dan Clark Audio
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Mytek
$5,001-$10,000
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Rank #
170
Mytek is an American maker of DACs, streamers and amplifiers with roots in pro audio design. Its converters pair Sabre DAC chips with Mytek's own analog circuits and power supplies, and many include extra inputs, outputs and phono stages. The range covers the compact Liberty line, the Brooklyn and Manhattan lines and the high-end Empire line. The Liberty DAC II handles PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, DSD256 and MQA. The Brooklyn Bridge II adds a network streamer with Wi-Fi and Ethernet, so one box works as a Roon endpoint and preamplifier.
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  • Mytek devices, stemming from pro audio design, incorporate extensive input/output options, including phono stages and multiple digital inputs, providing versatility in system integration.
  • Mytek's Brooklyn series offers a balanced approach, delivering highly resolving sound while maintaining a musical and engaging presentation suitable for various musical genres.
  • They integrate high-performance Sabre DAC chips with custom-designed analog circuits and power supplies to achieve a signature sound that balances clarity and naturalness.
  • Mytek units are designed for seamless use as both a Roon endpoint and preamplifier, allowing easy playback of streaming content and integration with existing analog sources.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Mytek
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Westone Audio
$500
/
Rank #
820
Westone Audio is an American maker of in-ear monitors, designed by and for musicians. The company says it put balanced armature drivers into custom earpieces for stage monitors in 1989 and worked with Rush and Def Leppard on early custom in-ear monitors. The MACH series brings custom-quality sound to a universal fit, with a light, ergonomic design built for long wear and each model voiced differently. Performers who want to hear the audience and the band on stage can choose the AM Pro X20 or AM Pro X30, Westone's ambient monitors.
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  • Westone Audio's IEMs, particularly the MACH series, prioritize long-term wearability through an ergonomic design and exceptionally lightweight components, distinguishing them from competitors that prioritize aesthetics or heavier materials.
  • Westone Audio's MACH series products are each voiced with a specific sonic signature in mind, effectively creating a line-up with tailored options for diverse listening preferences and professional monitoring needs.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Westone Audio
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ZMF
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
448
ZMF is an American headphone maker that builds its earcups by hand from wood, in many species, so each pair looks different. The Vérité uses a vapor-deposited beryllium driver and the Atrium a biocellulose one. The Caldera is a closed planar magnetic design with the Atrium Damping System. The Vérité, Atrium and BOKEH each come in open and closed versions, and the Atrium is on our Best Open-Back Headphones list. The Auteur Classic Upgrade gives an existing Auteur Classic a new driver set and wood baffle, so owners can update without replacing the headphone.
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  • ZMF Headphones are hand-crafted, using a wide array of wood choices, some of which are limited edition, making each headphone visually unique and potentially contributing to subtle sonic differences in decay and impact.
  • The brand is committed to providing a personalized audio experience, offering a variety of interchangeable pads, allowing users to tailor the sound to their preferences.
  • They offer a lifetime driver warranty on many of their products.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
ZMF
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EarMen
$500
/
Rank #
160
EarMen is a European maker of portable and desktop DACs and headphone amplifiers, started by the team behind the tube amplifier brand Auris Audio. Its devices are compact and housed in CNC-milled aluminum. The brand favors fully balanced circuits, and many of its products double as preamps for a speaker system. The Eagle is a small USB DAC for listening on the go. The ST-Amp is a desktop DAC and headphone amplifier, and the portable TR-Amp is on our Best Portable DAC/Amps list.
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  • EarMen offers products built with a strong emphasis on durability, utilizing CNC-milled aluminum chassis in compact designs for robust protection and a premium feel.
  • The brand offers fully balanced designs, ensuring signal integrity from source to output, and utilizes the topology even on single-ended signals for enhanced clarity.
  • They produce versatile components, often including pre-amp functionality and multiple input/output options, and catering to both desktop and portable usage scenarios.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
EarMen
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Austrian Audio
$500
/
Rank #
810
Austrian Audio is an Austrian maker of headphones and microphones, started in Vienna by former members of the AKG core team. Its Hi-X headphones use its own Hi-Xcursion drivers and aim for a neutral, accurate sound that reveals the detail in a recording. The closed-back Hi-X55 is meant for monitoring and long sessions, the open-back Hi-X65 is built for mixing and mastering, and the Hi-X25BT adds Bluetooth for listening away from the studio. The Composer is the flagship, with a 49mm driver whose diaphragm has a diamond-like carbon coating.
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  • Austrian Audio aims for neutral, insightful sound signatures that prioritize accuracy and transparency, revealing recording nuances.
  • The brand offers True Transient Technology in its amplifier, enhancing the clarity and precision of transient response for a more detailed listening experience.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Austrian Audio
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Softears
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
839
Softears is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2017. It began as a studio in Shenzhen and in 2019 opened an R&D lab and factory in Chengdu, where it develops and tunes its drivers. The range mixes balanced armature, dynamic and electrostatic drivers, and the Cerberus combines two electrostatic, four balanced armature and one dynamic driver. Reviewers hear the tuning as natural. The Studio2 is designed for monitoring on stage and in rehearsal, while the Twilight is tuned for music listening with a 10mm dynamic driver in an aluminum alloy shell.
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  • The brand's product development is characterized by thorough research, resulting in beautifully crafted and well-researched IEMs rather than a market-saturating release schedule.
  • They develop drivers for their IEMs in house and custom tune them to excel in timber and tonality, focusing on a natural and accurate projection of vocals and instruments.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Softears
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Fostex
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
780
Fostex is a Japanese audio company, founded in 1973, that makes speaker drive units and speaker systems as well as headphones. Many of its headphones use Biodyna drivers, and some housings use Japanese cherry birch or maple finished with Urushi lacquer or Aizome dyeing. The headphones come in two lines, the RP Series, which includes the T50RPmk4, and the TH Premium Series. Fostex headphones often have low impedance and high sensitivity, so they play well from a wide range of devices. The TH900mk2 comes in several finishes.
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  • Fostex integrates traditional Japanese artistry, such as Urushi lacquering and Aizome dyeing, into the design of their headphone housings, amplified by the acoustic properties of materials like Japanese cherry birch and maple wood.
  • They leverage their "Biodyna" driver technology, optimized with high magnetic flux densities (often using neodymium magnets), enabling detailed, dynamic, and low-distortion sound.
  • Their headphones are designed to be easily driven by a wide range of devices, often featuring a low impedance (25-32 ohms) and high sensitivity, increasing versatility and convenience for users.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Fostex
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Empire Ears
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
779
Empire Ears is an American maker of in-ear monitors in universal and custom fits. Many designs are hybrids, with dynamic drivers for bass and balanced armatures for the mids and highs, and some add electrostatic drivers for treble. Its own Weapon IX and W9+ dynamic drivers use a bass-reflex system, and reviewers describe the bass as powerful and well textured. The Odin and Legend X come in both fits, and custom buyers choose the faceplate material and shell color. The universal Legend Evo is on our Best IEMs list.
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  • Empire Ears IEMs often employ a multi-driver hybrid design, combining dynamic drivers for bass, balanced armatures for mids and highs, and sometimes electrostatic drivers for enhanced treble, all managed by a complex crossover network.
  • The brand's proprietary Weapon IX or W9+ dynamic drivers, known for their innovative bass-reflex system, consistently deliver a powerful, impactful, and well-textured bass response.
  • They offer a high degree of customization for their custom IEMs, including a wide variety of faceplate materials, shell colors, and logo options, allowing customers to create a personalized aesthetic design.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Empire Ears
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Unique Melody
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
788
Unique Melody is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2007. It was one of the first brands to put bone conduction drivers in wired IEMs and holds several patents on their use. Its bone conduction hybrids pair balanced armatures with piezoelectric bone conduction drivers, so sound reaches the listener through both air and bone. Some shells use titanium or zirconia, and the Mirage has an ultra-thin 3D-printed titanium housing. Some models take swappable parts such as the DB-GO bass module, so owners can adjust the low end.
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  • Unique Melody is at the forefront of integrating bone conduction technology into their IEMs, utilizing a hybrid bone conduction system, which combines composite balanced armature and piezoelectric bone conduction drivers.
  •  Their IEM shells are made with materials like titanium and zirconia with great attention to detail, including 3D-printed construction, resulting in durable and visually striking products.
  • Offers a customizable sound through modular systems and swappable components, such as the DB-GO bass adjustment module and replaceable cable connectors.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Unique Melody
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LETSHUOER
$500
/
Rank #
814
LETSHUOER is a Chinese in-ear monitor maker founded by former Panasonic engineer Danny To with industrial designer Jeff Wong. It designs and hand-assembles its earphones in house, and much of the range uses planar magnetic drivers, including the S12 PRO. The DX1 uses a single 11mm dynamic driver with a built-in 5kHz notch filter. The Mystic 8 puts eight balanced armatures behind a three-way electronic crossover. Buyers who want a large hybrid can choose the Cadenza, a 12-driver design with a titanium chassis, which is on our Best IEMs list.
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Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
LETSHUOER
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Linear Tube Audio
$5,001-$10,000
/
Rank #
168
Linear Tube Audio is an American tube amplifier maker, founded in 2015. Its amplifiers are hand-built in Takoma Park, Maryland, around David Berning's patented ZOTL circuit, which drives the load without output transformers. The tubes are auto-biased, and the company says they last two to three times longer and run cooler than in traditional tube amplifiers. Fern & Roby designs the low-resonance aluminum chassis. The Z10e drives electrostatic, planar and dynamic headphones and also powers speakers at 12 watts per channel. The Z40+ is the most powerful model, able to drive almost any speaker.
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  • Linear Tube Audio utilizes David Berning's patented ZOTL technology, a unique circuit design that eliminates the need for traditional output transformers, reducing distortion and resulting in a transparent and realistic sound.
  • They offer versatile products, often combining preamp, headphone amp, and speaker amp functionalities into a single chassis, catering to various listening preferences and system configurations.
  • LTA amps are characterized by their low noise floor, enabling the retrieval of subtle details and creating a sense of aliveness in the music.
  • Handmade in the USA with premium components, Linear Tube Audio products blend high-end sound quality with an elegant and functional design, often featuring a chassis designed by Fern & Roby.

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Linear Tube Audio
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ampsandsound
$10,001-$20,000
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Rank #
187
ampsandsound is a small family tube amplifier maker in Southern California, inspired by midcentury American circuits and the Japanese builders who refined them. It designs dedicated power, output and input transformers for each product and sizes each core for twice the output of its circuit, on the view that over-specified transformers distort less. Amplifiers are hand-assembled on 10-gauge steel chassis, mostly wired point to point on turret boards. The 17-watt Little Nugget suits high-sensitivity speakers in small rooms, and the Agartha is on our All SET Amplifiers list.
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  • ampsandsound differentiates itself through its commitment to hand-built construction, using point-to-point wiring and turret boards in most models, reminiscent of classic amplifier designs.
  • They specialize in custom-wound transformers, a closely guarded secret that significantly shapes the sonic characteristics and contributes to the robust power delivery and overall quality of their amplifiers.
  • ampsandsound amplifiers like the Arch, Zion and Nautilus aim for exceptional linearity and low distortion, rivaling even solid-state designs, reflecting a modern take on vintage circuits.
  • Their amps, like the Kenzie OG, emphasize "tube character" via a sweet, euphonic, and rich tonal quality, often without dramatically altering the downstream frequency response, creating a uniquely engaging listening experience.

Our interview with the brand

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What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

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Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
ampsandsound
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ZiiGaat
$500
/
Rank #
844
ZiiGaat is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors, launched in 2024. Its engineers previously made products for other brands as an OEM and ODM supplier. The company publishes its engineering details, including crossover designs and distortion figures. Many of its IEMs use two dynamic drivers in an isobaric arrangement for a strong, controlled low end, and the often smooth treble suits listeners who wear IEMs for hours. Several models are tuned with reviewers, among them the ZiiGaat x HBB: Arcadia and the ZiiGaat x Fresh Reviews Arete.
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  • ZiiGaat distinguishes itself through frequent collaborations with prominent audio reviewers like HBB and Fresh Reviews, integrating community expertise into product development and tuning.
  • ZiiGaat IEMs often incorporate an isobaric dual dynamic driver configuration for bass, aiming to deliver a powerful yet controlled low-end performance.
  • They strive for a balanced, non-fatiguing sound signature, often characterized by smooth treble and a focus on a velvety, musical midrange, catering to extended listening sessions.

Our interview with the brand

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Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
ZiiGaat
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Grado
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
447
Grado is a family-owned American maker of headphones and phono cartridges, founded in 1953. Co-founder Joseph Grado invented the moving-coil stereo cartridge, and the company still assembles its products by hand in Brooklyn, in a building the family bought in 1918. The headphones are open-back, with an airy sound and a retro look. They are easy to drive, so a model like the SR80x works well straight from a smartphone. Higher models use wood housings, with cocobolo on the GS3000x, and the GW100x brings the open-back design to Bluetooth.
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  • The brand's headphones are known for their open-back design which trades noise isolation for an expansive and airy soundstage favored by audiophiles.
  • Grado largely retains a characteristically "vintage" or "retro" design, despite ongoing component upgrades, making them visually distinct and instantly recognizable.
  • They are designed for easy amplification, working well even with smartphones without requiring dedicated headphone amplifiers.

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Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Grado
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STAX
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
191
Stax is a Japanese maker of electrostatic headphones, founded in 1938, which calls its headphones earspeakers. The company says it developed the world's first electrostatic headphone in 1959 and introduced the SR-1 in 1960. Each earspeaker moves a thin-film diaphragm between fixed electrodes, and Stax builds its own energizer amplifiers to supply the high voltage the drivers use. The SR-X1 is the entry point, and the Advanced-Lambda SR-L500 MK2 and SR-L700 MKII keep the classic rectangular open-back shape. The SR-X9000 flagship adds a four-layer MLER-3 electrode and a larger diaphragm.
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  • Stax pioneered electrostatic headphone technology, creating "earspeakers" with a unique sound signature known for its clarity and detail.
  • The brand's products, particularly the Lambda series, are recognized for their rectangular design and open-back construction, prioritizing functionality and comfort over aesthetics.
  • Stax headphones demand specialized amplifiers ("energizers") to deliver the high-voltage signal required by their electrostatic drivers, necessitating a dedicated amplification ecosystem.

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Master & Dynamic
$500
/
Rank #
783
Master & Dynamic is an American headphone maker, started by Jonathan Levine after a pair of WWII aviator headphones in a museum set him on building headphones that would still look right in 50 years. Its headphones use materials such as metal, leather and tempered glass where most headphones use plastic. Reviewers describe a rich, warm sound with punchy bass, often from custom beryllium drivers. The MW75 headphones and MW09 earphones add active noise canceling, and the MG20 is a wireless gaming headset with 7.1 surround sound. The MH40 Wireless updates the original MH40.
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  • Master & Dynamic products are distinguished by their use of premium materials like aluminum, lambskin leather, and tempered glass, resulting in a luxurious and durable design aesthetic.
  • The brand consistently delivers a "signature rich, warm sound" with a punchy bass response, often utilizing custom-designed beryllium drivers, which emphasizes musicality.

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HiBy
$500
/
Rank #
813
HiBy is a Chinese maker of portable music players, earphones and DAC headphone amplifiers, and it writes much of its own software, including the HiBy Music app and HiBy OS. Reviewers point to its choice of parts, such as AKM DAC chips, ELNA Silmic II capacitors and discrete amplifier circuits, and its R2R ladder DAC players use HiBy's Darwin architecture. The FD5 puts a DAC and headphone amplifier in one unit, and the earphone range includes the Yacht10 and the Zeta.
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  • They leverage their expertise in software, including the HiBy Music app and HiBy OS, to enhance the user experience and functionality of their audio products.
  • The brand focuses on utilizing high-quality components, such as AKM DAC chips, ELNA Silmic II capacitors, and discrete amplifier designs, to deliver detailed and dynamic sound.

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HiBy
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oBravo
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
836
oBravo is a Taiwanese maker of earphones and headphones, started by David Teng to bring the scale of a full-size speaker system to headphones. Its own miniature Air Motion Transformer and planar tweeters, patented in five markets, are mounted coaxially with neodymium dynamic drivers. Many models use a semi-open design for a more speaker-like sound. Housings are made from copper, zirconia ceramic or heat-treated Taiwanese acacia. The Venus uses a large dynamic driver for extra bass, and the HAMT-3 MKII lets owners adjust the amount of bass mechanically.
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  • oBravo utilizes a hybrid driver configuration, combining a dynamic driver for lower frequencies with a specialized Air Motion Transformer tweeter for enhanced high-frequency performance.
  • They are known for crafting their IEM and headphone housings from premium and often unusual materials such as brass, ceramic, wood, and copper, selected for their acoustic properties and aesthetic appeal.
  • oBravo's products often feature a semi-open design that aims to provide a more spacious and speaker-like listening experience compared to traditional closed-back IEMs and headphones.
  • They engineer and patent their own proprietary AMT drivers, including the AMT II, continuously striving to improve the performance and efficiency of their unique tweeter technology.

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Kennerton
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
808
Kennerton is a Russian headphone maker based in Saint Petersburg, where its craftsmen build each pair by hand from wood, leather and metal. Many models use planar magnetic drivers, often of its own design, tuned to control the diaphragm and keep internal resonance low. Any Kennerton headphone can be custom ordered with a choice of wood species, finish, leather and hardware, so buyers can specify their own pair. The Rognir and Magni are closed-back, while the HeartLand and Thror are open-back. The company also makes headphone amplifiers and cables.
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  • The brand employs planar magnetic drivers in many of their headphones, often custom-designed, with a strong emphasis on minimizing internal resonances and maximizing diaphragm control, resulting in detailed and accurate sound reproduction.
  • Kennerton focuses on comfort and ergonomics, with features such as self-adjusting headbands and plush earpads designed for long listening sessions.

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Kennerton
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Feliks Audio
$2,501-$5,000
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Rank #
179
Feliks Audio is a Polish maker of tube headphone amplifiers, hand-built at its own site in Lubliniec. Most of the range is output-transformerless, so the tubes drive the headphones directly, and the circuits are wired point to point with single-crystal copper. Unusually for tube amplifiers, they drive planar magnetic headphones as well as high-impedance dynamic ones while keeping the noise floor low. Owners can swap both power and driver tubes to change the sound, and the range runs from the compact Echo 2 to the 300B-based Envy flagship.
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  • Feliks Audio specializes in crafting Output Transformer-Less (OTL) tube amplifiers, a design choice that emphasizes transparency and direct tube sound.
  • Handmade in Poland, Feliks Audio amplifiers combine quality components with point-to-point UPOCC wiring for meticulous construction and signal purity.
  • Feliks Audio amplifiers offer extensive tube-rolling capabilities, allowing users to customize the sound signature by swapping both power and driver tubes.

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Monolith
$500
/
Rank #
805
Monolith is an American audio brand that makes headphones, headphone amplifiers, speakers and subwoofers, bringing technology found in high-end gear to lower prices. Most of its headphones use planar magnetic drivers, including the M1060 and the closed-back M1060C, M1070C and M1570C, and most of the headphone range is under $500. The AMT headphone uses an AMT driver instead. Reviewers hear a neutral tuning close to studio target curves, which makes the headphones an easy base for EQ. The closed-back M1070C suits office or travel listening and does not need a powerful amplifier.
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  • Monolith products often emulate high-end designs and technologies from brands but at significantly lower price points.
  • Monolith headphones tend to have a neutral frequency response, closely resembling studio target curves, which suits critical listening and allows for easy EQ customization to individual preferences.

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Monolith
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Erzetich
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
827
Erzetich is a Slovenian maker of headphone amplifiers and headphones, founded in 2012. Founder Blaž Erzetič studied electronics in his teens and later worked as a musician and studio engineer. The wooden parts are made in a workshop in the Trnovo woods from artificially aged tilia wood, which warms up an industrial, brutalist design. The products use no animal parts and are built so any part can be fixed or replaced. The Perfidus is a compact class-A amplifier with an Alps Blue Velvet volume control, and the Thalia is on our Best Open-Back Headphones list.
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FATfreq
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
830
FATfreq is a Singapore maker of in-ear monitors, sold in both universal and custom-fit versions. The Musician Series gives drummers, keyboard players and guitarists a thumpy mix with plenty of low end, while the Reference Series gives engineers and vocalists a clean studio sound. The Maestro Series uses BASSCANNON technology to recreate the deep tremor of a subwoofer. Many models combine dynamic drivers, balanced armatures and electrostatic tweeters. The GRAND Maestro Universals take swappable NOAH modules that let owners adjust the bass, and a vocal boost switch brings voices forward.
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  • FATfreq is recognized for its distinct "basshead" sound signature, delivering powerful and impactful bass responses, particularly in the sub-bass region, without sacrificing clarity in the mids and highs.
  • They offer customizable sound profiles through interchangeable NOAH modules and tuning switches, allowing users to tailor the IEM's sound to their preferences.
  • FATfreq IEMs often feature high driver counts and tribrid configurations, combining dynamic drivers, balanced armatures, and electrostatic tweeters to achieve a detailed and balanced sound.

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Shozy
$500
/
Rank #
818
Shozy is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors. Reviewers single out the fit, which they find comfortable enough for long sessions and even for sleeping with the earphones in. The Magma uses a tribrid design focused on articulate mids and a wide soundstage, while the Ceres combines dynamic and balanced armature drivers for improved treble and instrument separation. The Black Hole is the flagship, tuned for natural, expansive staging and very low distortion, and suits listeners who want the most refined sound in the range.
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  • Shozy IEMs are noted for their comfortable fit, often described as ergonomic and suitable for long listening sessions or even sleeping with them in.

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Shozy
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HEDD
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
227
HEDD is a German maker of studio monitors and headphones, founded in 2015. Every product is built by hand in Berlin. Co-founder Klaus Heinz studied under Oskar Heil, inventor of the Air Motion Transformer, and AMT drivers are at the center of the range. HEDD calls the HEDDphone the world's first full-range AMT headphone. Owners can switch the monitors between closed and ported modes and between Lineariser and natural voicing to suit the room. The HEDDphone TWO has the HEDDband, which adjusts height, width, curvature and clamping pressure.
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  • HEDD headphones distinguish themselves by utilizing full-range Air Motion Transformer (AMT) drivers, a unique technology borrowed from their studio monitors, enabling faster air movement and potentially superior transient response.
  • The HEDDphone Two has a HEDDband system that allows for personalized adjustment of height, width, curvature, and clamping pressure, delivering a customized fit.
  • HEDD products have a sound that can be easily switched between ported and closed, or Linearised and natural to suit preferences and listening environment.
  • Durability and longevity are prioritized, offering an impressive 5-year warranty to ensure confidence in the brand's commitment to quality.

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Ultimate Ears Professional
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
842
Ultimate Ears Professional is an American maker of in-ear monitors for musicians, founded in 1995. It began with an in-ear monitor built so Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen could protect his hearing on tour. The Pro models are custom-fit, shaped with digital ear scanning and 3D printing, and isolation reaches 26dB, so performers can hear clearly at lower volumes. The Pro series goes from the two-driver 5 PRO to the 21-driver Premier, and the 6 PRO adds a dynamic driver for extra bass. The 150, 250 and 350 are universal-fit models.
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  • Ultimate Ears Professional pioneered the custom in-ear monitor market, leveraging decades of experience crafting personalized solutions for musicians (and audiophiles).
  • They have a deep understanding of the unique needs of performers, resulting in IEMs built for both durability and consistent performance in stage environments.
  • They have invested in both artisan hand-crafting and advanced technology, like 3D printing and digital ear scanning, to ensure superior fit, comfort, and acoustic accuracy.

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DITA Audio
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
778
DITA Audio is a Singaporean earphone maker, started in 2012. Its in-ear monitors use a single dynamic driver, flagships included, and the company works on that driver's structure and materials to get more from it. Each model is tuned against a reference system in a music room at its Singapore headquarters. The Dream introduced the Awesome Plug, which swaps between 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm terminations so one cable works with many players. The Prelude comes with a DAC-amp dongle, and the Dream XLS uses a CNC-milled titanium chassis.
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  • DITA Audio is distinguished by its commitment to single dynamic driver IEMs, even in their flagship models, focusing on maximizing driver efficiency through structural and material innovations.
  • The brand stands out for its design philosophy where each product feels like it came from "a luxury watch factory" with fine inner structures and a zero tolerance for errors.

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DITA Audio
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Symphonium
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
841
Symphonium is an in-ear monitor maker from Singapore, where it designs and assembles every IEM in house. Its first two models appeared at CanJam Singapore in 2018. The Helios followed in 2021 with FLAT technology co-developed with Subtonic and took the brand into high-end IEMs. Reviewers point out how much Symphonium gets from low driver counts, and the company works closely with reviewers and enthusiasts on product development. The Titan is the bass-forward model and the Meteor is the compact one. The Helios is tuned as a technical reference.
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  • Symphonium differentiates itself by crafting IEMs with low driver counts, yet achieving sonic performance that often surpasses expectations for such configurations.
  • The brand is known for its close collaboration with the audiophile community, incorporating feedback and insights from reviewers and enthusiasts into product development.

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Beats
$500
/
Rank #
239
Beats is an American headphone and speaker brand, founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine to bring the energy of studio playback to everyday listening. Many current models run on a custom Beats chip and work with both Android and Apple devices. Apple users also get spatial audio with head tracking. On many models, USB-C handles both charging and wired lossless listening. The Studio Pro is an over-ear model with adaptive noise canceling and the Solo 4 is an on-ear model for commuting. The Pill is a portable Bluetooth speaker.
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  • Though now owned by Apple, the headphones are often powered by a custom Beats chip rather than Apple's H or W series, and frequently offer feature parity for both Android and Apple devices (with some exceptions).
  • USB-C connectivity is a big selling point, offering options for both charging and wired, lossless audio listening—a feature absent on some higher-end Apple headphones.
  • Spatial audio with head tracking is supported exclusively for Apple users, creating a more immersive listening experience while viewing compatible video content.

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Ferrum
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
212
Ferrum is a Polish maker of DACs, headphone amplifiers and power supplies from the Warsaw region, and its name is Latin for iron. The components match in looks and function and stack into one system. The Wandla DAC uses digital filters developed with Jussi Laako of Signalyst, the creator of HQPlayer, and the Wandla GoldenSound Edition adds DSP options including Tube Mode and Spatial Enhancement. Ferrum's first product was a power supply, which the company offers as an upgrade for other brands' gear as well as its own.
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  • The brand's product line is designed for seamless integration, both aesthetically and functionally, allowing for a unified "stack" of components (DAC, headphone amp, power supply).
  • They have partnered with the creator of HQPlayer, Jussi Laako of Signalyst, to develop unique and customizable digital filters for their DACs, going beyond standard filter offerings.
  • Their components feature balanced engineering throughout, prioritizing balanced signal paths and offering both balanced and single-ended connectivity options.

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V-MODA
$500
/
Rank #
843
V-MODA is an American headphone brand known for rugged, military-grade construction, including SteelFlex headbands. Its tunings come in two families: LP-Class, for Live Play, leans into bass, and M-Class, for Modern Audiophile, is more balanced. Some models have two 3.5mm inputs, so a second pair of headphones can be daisy-chained. An add-on boom microphone turns a pair into a gaming headset. The Crossfade LP2 uses 50mm dual-diaphragm drivers, and the M-100 Pro is built for stage monitoring with ceramic-coated drivers. The M-200 ANC adds hybrid noise cancellation and EQ through the V-MODA app.
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  • V-Moda headphones pursue rugged, military-grade construction.
  • V-Moda offers a "Live Play" sound signature (LP-Class) that emphasizes bass, in addition to a more balanced "Modern Audiophile" (M-Class) option.

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Sendy
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
786
Sendy Audio is a Chinese maker of planar magnetic headphones with hand-finished solid wood earcups. Each housing is cut, carved, polished and dried repeatedly, so no two share the same color and grain. Even the screws are designed in-house. The Aiva pairs a 3-micron diaphragm with zebra wood, aviation aluminum and a fish-scale grille, and it won a Japanese VGP award in 2019. Reviewers describe the sound as fast and precise. The Apollo is the entry open-back over-ear model, with a 68mm driver, and the Peacock is the flagship, with an 88mm composite diaphragm.
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  • Their headphones offer a distinct aesthetic blending a natural wood finish with industrial grille designs, creating a unique luxury-meets-tech aesthetic.
  • The brand’s planar magnetic headphones provide a fast and precise sound with crisp details.

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LAiV
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
340
LAiV is a Singapore maker of desktop hifi components, founded in 2023, with every product engineered in-house. The Harmony DAC and Harmony µDAC use discrete R2R resistor-ladder conversion. The Harmony µDAC won the EISA Best Value DAC award for 2026-2027. The Harmony µDDC reclocks digital audio with a femto clock and FIFO buffer before sending it out over galvanically isolated I²S. The Harmony HP2A is a balanced Class A preamplifier and headphone amplifier, and the Harmony LExt adds inputs to it. The modular design lets owners repair or upgrade a unit instead of replacing it.
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  • They prioritize delivering high-end sound and aesthetics at a relatively accessible price point, challenging the notion that exceptional audio performance requires exorbitant spending.
  • Their modular design allows for easy repairs and potential future upgrades, moving away from the traditional complexity of hifi audio components.
  • The Harmony DAC is designed to integrate seamlessly within a complete ecosystem, with plans for complementary products like a preamplifier, monoblock amplifiers, and a network streamer, all sharing a similar design language.

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Bose
$500
/
Rank #
793
Bose is an American audio company founded by Dr. Amar Bose. Founded in 1964, it pioneered noise cancellation for military and aviation users as well as consumers, and its headphone range centers on the QuietComfort headphones and earbuds. Reviewers single out their comfort over long sessions and noise cancellation that can be adjusted to different surroundings. The companion app adds EQ settings and listening modes, including spatial audio and a transparency mode. The Ultra Open Earbuds leave the ear open so ambient sound stays audible, which suits active and outdoor use.
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  • Bose products prioritize unparalleled comfort, allowing for extended wear, a hallmark of the QuietComfort series.
  • They feature  effective and customizable active noise cancellation (ANC), with granular control to adapt to various environments, setting a benchmark in the industry.
  • The brand's companion app enables user customization through EQ settings and various listening modes like customizable active noise cancellation, spatial audio, and a transparency mode.

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RME
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
806
RME is a German maker of professional audio interfaces and converters, co-founded by Matthias Carstens. Its hifi products are the ADI-2 DACs, which bring studio tools to the desktop, including parametric EQ and crossfeed. RME writes its own drivers and uses its SteadyClock FS technology to reduce jitter. The ADI-2 DACs offer several headphone outputs, including a dedicated IEM output for in-ear monitors, while the ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition adds extended balanced outputs and measurement features for studio work. The ADI-2 DAC FS is on our Best DACs list.
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  • RME builds upon its professional audio heritage, packing studio-grade features like parametric EQ, adjustable digital filters, loudness contour, and crossfeed into its consumer DACs, providing extensive customization options.
  • The brand offers multiple headphone outputs, including dedicated IEM and balanced options, delivering ample power and ultra-low noise levels to accommodate a wide range of headphones and in-ear monitors.
  • RME provides unusually detailed product documentation, including comprehensive user manuals and technical specifications, empowering users to understand and optimize their devices.

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ABYSS
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
538
Abyss is an American maker of planar magnetic headphones, built from scratch at its facility in Buffalo, New York. The frames are CNC-machined aluminum, and the headband adjusts for width, height and toe-in to set the seal. Several Diana models use a scaled-down version of the driver technology in the flagship AB1266 TC, and the Diana DZ comes in exotic finishes such as real Damascus and abalone. The Joal plays well from portable players, while the fully open AB1266 TC is designed for a powerful desktop amplifier.
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  • Abyss headphones utilize a planar magnetic driver technology derived from their flagship AB-1266 model, scaled down for a more compact form factor in several of their Diana series models.
  • The brand offers a customizable fit through a highly adjustable headband design that allows for width, vertical positioning, and "toe-in" adjustments, enabling users to dial in a precise seal and comfort.

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JDS Labs
$500
/
Rank #
236
JDS Labs is an American maker of headphone amplifiers and DACs, based in Collinsville, Illinois. The company designs by measurement, aiming for a transparent, uncolored signal that lets headphones perform as intended. Even the entry-level products use Alps potentiometers and Vishay and WIMA capacitors, and the company has released custom firmware builds shaped by community ideas. The Atom Amp 2 and Atom DAC 2 stack into a compact desktop pair, and the Element line is the step up. JDS Labs also sells DIY kits and parts and offers custom engraving.
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  • JDS Labs prioritizes objective measurements and a "sound as science" approach, resulting in products that deliver a transparent and uncolored listening experience, allowing headphones to perform as intended.
  • They offer custom firmware builds, demonstrating responsiveness to community ideas and enabling enthusiasts to tailor device performance, including experimental options for different sonic signatures.
  • The brand offers a balance of value and performance by using high-quality components like Alps potentiometers and Vishay/WIMA capacitors, even in their entry-level offerings.

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FlipEars
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
831
FlipEars is a Filipino maker of universal and custom in-ear monitors, founded by singer-songwriter Aries Sales. The company describes itself as the first Filipino company to make both kinds in the country. Sales also mixes live sound, and his tunings go from neutral to bass-forward, mid-centric, analytical and V-shaped. The Legion pairs a dynamic driver with an EarQuake bone conduction driver and a SPARK electret tweeter. Several models have switches on the shell, and the Artha's switches let the owner pick clearer vocals, more bass or extended highs.
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  • FlipEars emphasizes providing "insight into music that only a musician can offer," tailoring their IEMs for both professional musicians and audiophiles.
  • A signature feature across several models is the inclusion of dip switches on the IEM shells, allowing users to adjust the sound signature for different listening preferences.

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Custom Art
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
826
Custom Art is a Polish maker of custom in-ear monitors, founded in Warsaw in 2012. Its founder was a long-time portable audio reviewer and DIYer. The core idea is FIBAE, short for Flat Impedance Balanced Armature Earphone, which reduces the effect of the source's output impedance on the tuning. The FIBAE 5 pairs a dynamic driver with balanced armatures and planar tweeters, and the Hybrid 3 Pro has tunable bass. Shells are 3D printed and hand-finished in Poland. Every model also comes in a universal-fit version for buyers who would rather skip ear impressions.
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  • Custom Art specializes in both custom-fit and universal in-ear monitors.
  • They utilize FIBAE (Flat Impedance Balanced Armature Earphone) technology, which minimizes the impact of source output impedance on the sound.
  • Custom Art frequently incorporates hybrid driver configurations, combining dynamic, balanced armature, and planar magnetic drivers in their IEMs.
  • The brand offers tuning filters with some of their IEMs, giving users the ability to fine-tune the bass response and overall sound signature.

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Mod House Audio
$500
/
Rank #
775
Mod House Audio is an American headphone workshop that specializes in modifying headphones and making the parts to do it. Its Argon models rework Fostex headphones with a modified driver, baffle and cups. Owners can buy the Argon Mk3 complete, or order the Argon Mk3 Conversion for a Fostex they already own. The Tungsten is the company's first headphone designed from the ground up, after more than three years of development. Buyers choose single-sided or double-sided magnet drivers and pick aluminum or carbon fiber grills.
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Neumann
$501-$1,000
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Rank #
807
Neumann is a German pro audio company, founded in 1928, known in recording studios for its microphones and studio monitors. Its headphones come out of the same studio work. They are tuned as a neutral reference for mixing and mastering that matches the sound of Neumann's monitors, with low distortion for hearing small problems in a recording. The closed-back NDH 20 isolates well in a small working space, and the open-back NDH 30 adds a natural soundstage and comfort for long sessions. The NDH 20 Black Edition is built from aluminum and spring steel.
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  • Neumann headphones are designed with a focus on professional use, aiming to provide a neutral and accurate reference for mixing and mastering, mirroring the sound signature of their studio monitors.
  • Neumann headphones are designed to deliver high technical performance, with low distortion and a detailed sound, making them suitable for critical listening and identifying subtle issues in audio.

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Craft Ears
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
824
Craft Ears is a Polish maker of in-ear monitors, handmade in Poland for musicians and audiophiles. Founder Jedrek, a drummer and music producer, started the company in 2019. Its shells are 3D printed from medical-grade materials and fitted with balanced armature drivers. The True Load design keeps impedance and phase nearly flat, so the tuning holds steady from one source to the next. Most models come in universal or custom fit, as with the Omnium Universal and Omnium Custom, and buyers can choose shell materials and add their own logo.
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  • Craft Ears specializes in custom-fit IEMs, providing buyers with extensive design and material personalization options, even offering the ability to incorporate logos or emblems.
  • They implement True Load across their product line, ensuring an extremely flat impedance and phase response, minimizing sound signature variations across different audio sources.

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JH Audio
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
782
JH Audio is an American maker of in-ear monitors, founded by touring monitor engineer Jerry Harvey. Before starting the company in 2007, he created the UE 5, the first true multi-driver in-ear monitor. He wires balanced armatures in parallel for more headroom and bass, and does the same with small treble drivers to extend the top end. Some models add a phase-correcting waveguide. The JH13v2™ and JH16v2™ update the original JH13 and JH16, and many models have a bass control on the cable for setting the low end to the music.
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  • They are known for their variable bass output, adjustable via a module on the cable, providing users with precise control over the low-frequency response to suit different listening environments and musical genres.

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Koss
$500
/
Rank #
595
Koss is an American headphone maker, and its SP/3 of 1958 was the world's first stereo headphone. Founder John C. Koss invented it as an accessory to a portable stereo record player, and it was the hit of a Wisconsin audio show. In 1968 Koss released the ESP/6, the first self-energizing electrostatic headphone. The ESP/950 comes as a complete system with its own energizer, so it needs no separate amplifier. The PRO4AA dates from 1970 and is still in the range, and many models carry a limited lifetime warranty.
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  • Koss is known for electrostatic headphones and complete systems, including dedicated energizer/amplifiers, at a comparatively affordable price.
  • The brand balances the retro aesthetic of classic designs with modern features such as wireless connectivity and detachable cables.
  • The brand fosters a community around its products, evident in collaborations with companies such as Drop, and is receptive to community feedback in design and development.

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Lime Ears
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
812
Lime Ears is a Polish maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2012. Each pair is made by hand at the company's atelier in Warsaw. Founder Emil studied acoustics and designed concert halls, and he still tunes every model himself, shaping the sound with acoustic filters and canal geometry. The current Power Trio Series starts with the six-driver Terra. The Aether R, from the earlier Heritage Series, has six balanced armature drivers and a switchable subwoofer, so the owner can switch the extra bass in or out.
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  • Lime Ears offers a unique tuning approach, stemming from founder Emil's background in acoustic engineering, focusing on manipulating the sound path using acoustic filters and canal shapes.

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ULTRASONE
/
Rank #
789
Ultrasone is a German headphone maker that hand-builds its headphones in Bavaria around S-Logic, its own driver arrangement. S-Logic places the drivers off-center in the earcups for a speaker-like sense of space from ordinary stereo recordings. Most of the range is closed-back, a deliberate choice for focused imaging and controlled bass, and the Founders Series adds an open-back model. The Signature Pure is the studio-oriented starting point and comes with both a coiled cable and a 4.4 mm balanced cable. The Edition 15 and Edition 15 Veritas are the luxury models.
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  • Ultrasone is known for its proprietary S-Logic technology, which decentralizes the headphone drivers to create a more natural and spatial listening experience, designed to mimic the soundstage of speakers.
  • They have made a name for themselves producing mostly closed back headphones, a deliberate choice with the goal of achieving focused imaging and controlled bass.

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Warwick Acoustics
$10,001-$20,000
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Rank #
596
Warwick Acoustics is a British maker of electrostatic headphone systems, based in Warwickshire. The company began as a University of Warwick spin-out, and its products use a patented bonded electrostatic transducer called the High Precision Electrostatic Laminate, or HPEL. Each headphone is sold as a complete system that includes its own amplifier. The Bravura pairs HPEL headphones with a single-ended Class-A amplifier and is designed for comfort over long sessions, while the Aperio flagship adds two 32-bit, 8-channel DACs. The same technology now drives electrostatic car audio in the Range Rover SV.
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Alpha Design Labs
$500
/
Rank #
317
Alpha Design Labs, or ADL, is a Japanese maker of DACs, headphone amplifiers and cables based in Tokyo. Its products tend to fold several jobs into one compact unit, such as a DAC, headphone amplifier and phono stage in a single box, and much of the range is portable. The X1 is a battery-powered DAC and headphone amplifier that takes both digital and analog sources and works with iOS devices and PCs. The A1 is a portable DAC and amplifier aimed mainly at Android devices, and the Stride is a simple portable amplifier.
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  • ADL products combine a multitude of functionalities into a single, compact unit, such as DAC, headphone amplifier, and phono stage, providing versatility for various audio setups.

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TRUTHEAR
$500
/
Rank #
797
TRUTHEAR is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2022. The Shenzhen company based the tuning goals of some models on HRTF characteristics measured with a BK5128 head and torso simulator, and two were tuned in collaboration with Crinacle. Most models have DLP 3D printed cavities, and the range covers single dynamic driver sets, dual dynamic designs and hybrids that mix a dynamic driver with balanced armatures. The Nova pairs one dynamic driver with four balanced armatures in a three-way crossover, and it is on our Best IEMs list.
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Apple
$500
/
Rank #
794
Apple is an American technology company whose headphones are the AirPods line. Personalized Spatial Audio uses the iPhone's TrueDepth camera to scan the listener's ears and head, then applies that profile across Apple devices. Apple Music streams its catalog in lossless ALAC, a codec Apple created and made open source, and adds Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos. The AirPods Pro 2 are in-ear, with silicone tips for a secure fit, and the AirPods Max are over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation for home listening.
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Juzear
$500
/
Rank #
845
Juzear is a Chinese maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2016 by an audiophile whose stated aim is bringing high-quality musical experiences to more people. The name comes from Junzi Ear, meaning the gentleman's ear. The company has made custom in-ear monitors and stage-monitoring earphones since its founding, and it counts bands and music-industry professionals among its supporters. It now brings that tuning work to more affordably priced earphones. The 41T, Butterfly and Dragonfly are among its models, and it also makes eartips and earphone cables.
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Spirit Torino
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
597
Spirit Torino is an Italian headphone maker built around its Twin Pulse system, an isobaric design in which two synchronized drivers work as one. Its inertial frame approach uses heavy, mass-loaded aluminum shells, and the flagship moves to a titanium chassis. Mechanical filters let owners change the tuning without EQ. The catalog covers open, semi-open, closed and planar headphones, and the IEM Twin Pulse Beryllium brings the twin-driver design to an in-ear monitor.
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Norma
$5,001-$10,000
/
Rank #
368
Norma Audio is an Italian electronics maker whose catalog covers preamplifiers, integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers and digital sources. Its circuits are designed for very wide bandwidth, reaching up to 2 MHz, which the company believes makes them faster and better able to deliver current instantly. The integrated amplifiers are modular, so owners can add a DAC, phono stage or headphone amplifier to suit their system. The Revo IPA-80 and Revo IPA-140 are integrated amplifiers, and the Revo PA-150 is a power amplifier.
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  • Norma Audio's design philosophy prioritizes ultra-wideband circuitry reaching up to 2MHz, which they believe enhances circuit speed and the ability to deliver instantaneous current, contributing to a more realistic and complete musical reproduction.
  • Norma offers highly customizable integrated amplifiers with modular designs allowing users to add or adjust features like DACs, phono stages, and headphone amplifiers to suit their specific needs and preferences.

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CrinEar
$500
/
Rank #
798
CrinEar is the in-ear monitor brand of IEM reviewer Crinacle, launched after years of work with other brands. Tuning is anchored to a Brüel & Kjær Type 5128 measurement system and Crinacle's own IEF Preference 2025 house target, and the brand often publishes a model's measurements before saying which drivers are inside. The Daybreak is the everyday model, with 3D-printed acoustic pathways and a fully filled resin shell. Project Meta is a limited edition with an aluminum shell, tuned to a tilted diffuse field target with added bass. The company also makes DACs.
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Oriolus
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
817
Oriolus is a Japanese in-ear monitor brand, established in 2015. Its engineering is led by Rao You Liang, an electronics engineer who spent years designing products for other manufacturers. He checks circuit designs and acoustic structures against measurements, then refines parts choices and tuning through repeated listening tests. The flagship Traillii Japan has earned praise from audiophiles around the world. The Szalayi suits buyers who want planar technology, and the range also includes the Monachaa and the Isabellae. Oriolus also makes amplifiers and digital audio players, including a player built with Jaben.
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Singxer
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
802
Singxer is a Chinese digital audio maker based in Guangzhou, best known for DACs and digital-to-digital converters. The company has deep experience with XMOS audio processors and says it was among the first to develop on the second-generation xCORE-200 chips. It designs its own technology in hardware and FPGA code, including an ultra-low-jitter clock system, a digital phase-locked loop called SHDPLL, I2S signal shaping and full ground isolation. Its converters output I2S, and Singxer publishes charts showing which other brands' DACs accept that connection.
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HeadAmp
$5,001-$10,000
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Rank #
325
HeadAmp is an American maker of headphone amplifiers, founded in 2002. Every HeadAmp product is designed, assembled and serviced at its shop in Charlottesville, Virginia. The goal is to drive any headphone to its full potential regardless of driver type or impedance, so the range covers a small amplifier for in-ear monitors, solid-state desktop amplifiers for dynamic and planar magnetic headphones, and amplifiers for electrostatic headphones. The Blue Hawaii Special Edition is a high-voltage electrostatic amplifier, with two Stax Pro-Bias outputs. HeadAmp also runs a headphone store that sells other brands alongside its own.
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Auris
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Rank #
367
Auris Audio is a Serbian maker of tube amplifiers and turntables, with every product made in its own factory in Serbia. Its tube headphone amplifiers are built around 300B and KT88 tubes, and one reviewer singles out the 300B model's power to drive a wide range of high-end headphones. The Analog line covers turntables, and the 2 Channel line covers amplifiers for loudspeakers. The company designs its products to look distinctive, with styling that mixes vintage and modern.
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Crosszone
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
825
Crosszone is a Japanese headphone maker whose designs aim to make headphones sound like a pair of stereo speakers. Each earcup adds a driver that plays the opposite channel through an acoustic delay chamber, mimicking how sound from speakers reaches both ears, with no DSP involved. Listeners who dislike hearing music inside their head get a stage placed outside it instead. Crosszone uses beryllium-coated drivers, and the current models are the CZ-1, CZ-8A Enhanced and CZ-10 Enhanced.
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Forte Ears
$2,501-$5,000
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Rank #
832
Forté Ears is an in-ear monitor maker started by Riccardo Yeh, a musicologist and guqin player, and each model takes its name and tuning direction from a character in opera or theater. Yeh avoids stacking extra drivers, and a custom crossover called Forte Circuitry Relay controls each one. The Macbeth uses a balanced armature driver made for the brand to reach deep sub-bass, alongside vintage components chosen for the midrange. The Mefisto pairs a custom planar magnetic tweeter with two dynamic drivers in a sealed chamber, for listeners who want weighty, textured bass.
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SJY Audio
$501-$1,000
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Rank #
838
SJY Audio is an American maker of planar magnetic headphones, built by hand in Houston. The lineup centers on the Horizon, an open-back design with CNC-machined aluminum construction tuned for a spacious sound, and the Horizon Closed Carbon, a closed-back version for listeners who want isolation and controlled acoustics. The drivers use tuning plates designed to tame sibilance, and buyers can order the headphones in custom colors or with wood grills.
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Canpur
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
823
Canpur is a Dutch maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2019. Founder Hans JAPM Witjes was a professional band drummer with nearly 30 years of live performance experience, and the brand's aim is high-end IEMs that working musicians can afford. He tunes each model with old friends who work as producers and mix engineers. The universal-fit shells are ergonomic designs based on ear canal data from thousands of people, drawn from custom earphone and hearing aid fittings. Buyers can customize every part of a pair, and current models include the CP622B and CP74E.
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VISION EARS
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
787
Vision Ears is a German maker of custom in-ear monitors, founded in 2013. Founders Marcel Schoenen and Amin Karimpour met in 2004 at another Cologne in-ear maker, and Schoenen spent ten years as a singer and guitarist in a band. Vision Ears builds its Custom and Premium Lines by hand in its Cologne workshop, and every pair is unique. Custom Line models are made from the owner's ear impressions, and one has a magnetic switch for flipping between two sound signatures. The PHÖNIX uses 13 balanced armature drivers per side on a passive five-way crossover.
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ES Lab
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
828
ES Lab is a Hong Kong maker of electrostatic headphones whose designs grew out of its repair work. It is one of very few workshops that service discontinued electrostatic headphones, and that experience went into the transducer of its first model, the ES-1a. Everything is built and tested in-house. The ES-2a is the open-back flagship, and owners can change its sound with replaceable tuning filters. The range also covers the company's own energizer and a closed-back dynamic model, the ES-R10, which puts a 50mm driver in a Paulownia wood housing for noisier places.
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Jomo Audio
$1,001-$2,500
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Rank #
815
Jomo Audio is a Singapore maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2015. Founder Joseph Mou is a broadcast engineer, and the company builds every pair in its own lab, set up with local hearing-aid specialists. Production pairs hand-poured resin casting with 3D printing, 5-axis CNC machining and 3D titanium printing. The company says it built the first 11-driver IEM with toggle switches and the first electrostatic tribrid IEM. The Nautilus houses planar, dynamic and bone conduction drivers in a gold-plated brass shell with mother-of-pearl inlays, for buyers who want an artistic finish.
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MIRPH
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
834
MIRPH is a one-person headphone maker in Munich, Germany, started by Homero as a way to explore ideas in acoustic engineering and industrial design. He designs, assembles and hand-finishes every pair himself. The headphones are modular and built to be user-friendly, and MIRPH sells replacement ear pads and cables, so worn parts can be swapped out instead of replacing the headphone. The MIRPH-1 is tuned for a smooth, warm sound and suits listeners who like a relaxed presentation.
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RAAL-requisite
$5,001-$10,000
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Rank #
792
RAAL-requisite is a brand of true-ribbon headphones, handmade in Serbia by RAAL 1995. Each driver is a corrugated pure aluminum ribbon, and the open-back Immanis uses three of them in a circumaural R³ triple-driver motor with Viscodamp damping. The company describes the Immanis as fast and transparent, with a large, speaker-like soundstage. The headphones are driven through a dedicated RAAL ribbon amplification setup, so first-time buyers choose a complete package, while owners who already have that setup can buy the headphone on its own.
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Sparkos Labs
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Rank #
526
Sparkos Labs is an American maker of discrete op amps and audio electronics in Westminster, Colorado, where engineer Andrew Sparks handles the circuit design. Its op amps use discrete parts and circuit techniques that, the company says, cannot be done in an IC op amp, and both hobbyists and equipment makers use them. The company also makes discrete voltage regulators, audio power supplies and upgrade modules that let owners of vintage Marantz and Sansui receivers replace the BA312 preamp chip. Its headphone amplifiers, including a tube model, are built around its own op amps.
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Sparkos Labs
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Luxsin
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
800
Luxsin is a Chinese maker of DAC and headphone amplifiers built around headphone EQ correction. Each unit carries a database of headphone profiles and applies a correction curve for the owner's model through its DSP. The X9 pairs an AK4191EQ and AK4499EX DAC with a relay-based R2R volume control, a femtosecond clock and a linear power supply, set up from a 4-inch touchscreen. It also has an HDMI ARC input and a subwoofer output, so it can take sound from a TV and feed a subwoofer. A smaller model adds AI-assisted EQ tuning.
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Luxsin
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ETA Audio
$500
/
Rank #
829
ETA Audio is a New York maker of handcrafted headphones that builds horn-loading concepts into its designs. It uses proprietary dynamic drivers, including a 50mm graphene-composite driver and a 40mm biocellulose and PET driver, and fits non-magnetic grills intended to reduce wavefront lensing. Each headphone is matched and tuned individually before it ships. The O² uses a graphene diaphragm in an aluminum frame, and the Mini Semi-Closed is a compact semi-closed model for everyday listening. ETA also sells tube and solid-state amplifiers, cables and earpads, and backs its products with a five-year warranty.
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ETA Audio
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Bottlehead
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Rank #
579
Bottlehead is an American company, started in Seattle, that sells tube amplifier kits to build at home. The range covers headphone amplifiers, power amplifiers, preamplifiers and speaker kits, and each amp or preamp kit comes with the wood base, chassis plates, wire and electrical parts. Chassis, wood bases and transformers are made to order in the United States. Kits are graded in three skill levels. Level One kits need no advanced soldering, so they suit first-time builders, who make up most of its kit builders. Detailed manuals and a user forum support each build.
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Bottlehead
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Angstrom
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Rank #
738
Angstrom Audiolab is an Italian boutique maker of amplifiers, handmade in its workshop in Brescia. The company leans toward tubes but builds with both tube and solid-state technology, using point-to-point wiring or circuit boards depending on the design. Its cases combine aluminum, steel and real wood with careful lacquer and paint work, styled so that it is hard to tell at first glance whether a unit is modern or vintage. Each piece takes many hours of hand assembly, which suits listeners who want a small-workshop product with its own character.
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Angstrom
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Flux Lab Acoustics
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
801
Flux Lab Acoustics is a Ukrainian company that designs and builds Class-A headphone amplifiers in Ukraine. Some of its amplifiers use MOSFET circuits and others are dual mono, with each channel kept separate. The fully balanced stacks pair two amplifier units and offer an optional adapter for headphones with a 4-pin XLR plug. The team's experience covers both circuit board and software design, and the company develops each product through lab measurements followed by careful listening. Because the amplifiers can take software updates, owners can get later improvements without replacing the unit.
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Flux Lab Acoustics
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AsciLab
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
849
AsciLab is a South Korean speaker brand from Seoul, launched by a company with nearly 20 years in room acoustics. Its two-way designs cross over at 1 kHz, a point rare in two-way speakers, using a deep proprietary waveguide to load the tweeter and a steep crossover filter. Designs are developed with finite element analysis and measured on a Klippel NFS system. The range covers passive and active models, including towers and cardioid designs. The compact C6B uses a ceramic and aluminum driver and suits small rooms.
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AsciLab
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Niimbus Audio
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Aurorus Audio
$501-$1,000
/
Rank #
822
Aurorus Audio is an American headphone company, founded in January 2018, that builds and hand-finishes all of its products in the USA. It describes itself as a small company aiming for long-lasting headphones built from the best mix of materials for the sound. The store sells DIY items and accessories alongside finished headphones, so owners can modify their own pairs, and some models come in an ABS version. The Australis is one of its featured headphone models.
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Aurorus Audio
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Plunge Audio
$500
/
Rank #
846
Plunge Audio makes its in-ear monitors in Canada. Its designs use tubeless, damper-less acoustic paths, and the company tunes them for an on-stage perspective that puts the listener among the band instead of in the audience. The range covers a single dynamic driver model and a quad-driver universal model with a custom-like fit, plus one-of-a-kind pieces in stainless steel or exotic wood. The dynamic driver model is the entry point, and the quad-driver model is for listeners who want a wider soundstage.
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Plunge Audio
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HIFI FOR ALL
$500
/
Rank #
833
HiFi For All is an American headphone maker whose Dahlia is an open-back headphone with snap-in resonators that switch it between a Balanced and a Dynamic tuning. The housings use glass-infused nylon, and the company has documented its development process on YouTube. The resonator swap lets one headphone cover two tunings, so an owner can change the sound without buying a second pair. Its store also sells cables, accessories and DIY items.
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HIFI FOR ALL
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Subtonic Audio
$5,001-$10,000
/
Rank #
840
Subtonic Audio is a Singapore maker of in-ear monitors, designed and manufactured there with local artisans. The Storm was built from the ground up as a reference monitor. Its SLAM technology decouples the woofers, which the company says extend down to 3Hz, and Sonion EST tweeters are layered with balanced armatures through a true 7-way crossover called CTRL. The midrange array controls resonance with phase shifts instead of heavy damping, and only the woofer is lightly damped. The Storm suits listeners who want an IEM with the deep, rectangular stage of loudspeakers.
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Subtonic Audio
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Auribus Acoustics
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
821
Auribus Acoustics is a headphone maker in Southern California that began as a university project in 2019. Its latest open-back headphones use 3D printing throughout, which the company says refines both acoustics and comfort. The driver enclosures are built around its Linear Extension system, and newer models add a 3D baffle and a precision-cut acoustic lens. Materials have moved from glass bead-infused nylon cups to aluminum and weight-saving metal 3D printing. The current model can be ordered with a 4.4mm cable or a 3.5mm cable with a 6.35mm adapter.
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Auribus Acoustics
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Tipsy
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
847
Tipsy is a maker of in-ear monitors, founded in 2016 by recording engineer Masan Lee. The company aims for studio-quality sound inspired by the Shenzhen Concert Hall, and it says its designs use patented acoustic innovations. Alongside its standard models it has delivered more than 150,000 custom IEMs, and artists across Asia use its earphones in the studio and on stage. The current range has four models, including one made for gaming, and the company lists Call of Duty and Warzone players among its Tipsy Gamers. The M3 is pitched as an everyday all-rounder.
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Tipsy
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Paltauf Audio
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
848
Paltauf Audio is an Austrian maker of amplifiers and loudspeakers, founded by Wolfgang Paltauf. His interest in amplifier electronics began with an old tube catalog, and he has worked in the field for more than 30 years. The Graz-based company makes everything by hand in Austria under the motto "Music comes first." The range covers headphone amplifiers, hybrid amplifiers, phono stages, a preamplifier and power amplifier pair, a USB DAC and two loudspeakers, one of them a coaxial design. For owners of electrostatic headphones, Paltauf builds a dedicated tube amplifier.
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Paltauf Audio
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Soekris
/
Rank #
525
Soekris Audio is a small Danish company that designs and builds R-2R DACs based on a sign-magnitude resistor ladder. Chief engineer Søren Kristensen has more than 35 years of experience in network, communication and embedded computer design. The Audiophile line covers finished DACs and combined DAC and headphone amplifiers, sold directly online. The company also sells OEM and DIY boards based on the same converters without the power supply and output buffers, so builders can put a Soekris DAC into a design of their own.
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Soekris
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Violectric
/
Rank #
502
Violectric is a German maker of headphone amplifiers, preamplifiers and AD/DA converters, and it also sells Mogami cables. Its headphone amplifiers use discrete output stages built with power transistors, fed by toroidal transformers that allow a very large output voltage swing. That headroom makes them a natural match for high-impedance headphones. Balanced models give each channel its own pair of output stages. The phono preamplifier is DC-coupled with cascaded bipolar stages, and it takes up to six phono inputs and stores the settings for each one. The Niimbus line holds the top headphone amplifiers.
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Violectric
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OpenAudio
$1,001-$2,500
/
Rank #
816
OpenAudio is a Chinese maker of streaming amplifiers, including multi-room models for passive speakers. Its multi-zone amplifiers drive eight zones from one chassis and can run up to eight separate streams at once, sending each to any mix of zones. The three versions differ mainly in power, from 60 to 200 watts per channel, with streaming over AirPlay 2, DLNA, Google Cast or Spotify Connect depending on the model. For a single room, its streamer amplifiers include a model with HDMI ARC, optical and USB inputs, so a TV connects directly.
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OpenAudio
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Block Audio
$40,001-$75,000
/
Rank #
850
Block Audio is a Czech amplifier maker whose preamplifiers run on batteries, which keeps the audio circuits isolated from AC power. Its battery preamplifier uses a dual-mono layout across two chassis, with a separate battery bank for each channel and a short signal path. The matching monoblock power amplifiers are Class-A designs in aluminum chassis with a very high damping factor for tight control of the speakers. Bought together, the preamplifier and monoblocks work as one system, with the preamp monitoring the amplifiers' temperature and setting their operating modes.
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Block Audio
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Rosson
$2,501-$5,000
/
Rank #
790
Rosson Audio Design is an American maker of planar magnetic headphones, founded by Alex Rosson. Before starting it, he spent nearly a decade as a mastering engineer at Technicolor and co-founded Audeze. The 66mm driver is designed and built at its lab in Reseda, California, with a composite diaphragm and 11 N52 neodymium magnets. Every pair is run in at 120dB for at least 15 days and tested to within ±0.3dB between channels. The cast rings can hold wood, stones or gems, and owners can have their own object cast into a one-off pair.
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Rosson
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DNA
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Audeze
/
Rank #
603
Audeze is an American headphone maker, based in Santa Ana, California, that builds its headphones around planar magnetic drivers and assembles them at its Southern California headquarters. The Audiophile range centers on the LCD series and also includes an electrostatic headphone. A separate Professional Audio range is aimed at studio work and includes a closed-back planar model for listeners who need isolation. The Gaming range brings planar drivers to gaming headsets, including one with active noise cancellation.
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Audeze
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Oehlbach
/
Rank #
654
Oehlbach is a German maker of cables and accessories for audio, video, data and power, which it describes as made in Germany. The catalog is sorted into four quality tiers, Easy Connect, Performance, Excellence and State of the Art, so a buyer can match a cable to the level of the system it serves. Alongside speaker and audio interconnect cables, Oehlbach makes HDMI and network cables, indoor TV antennas and filtered power strips. Its phono stage adjusts automatically to MM or MC cartridges and has a separate power supply.
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Oehlbach
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XTZ Sound
/
Rank #
575
XTZ is a speaker and electronics maker, founded in 2004 by Olle Eliasson with the aim of making high-end sound more accessible. It sells direct to buyers and puts the savings into better parts and acoustic design. The catalog covers stereo and home cinema, with tower, bookshelf, Atmos, in-wall and on-wall speakers alongside subwoofers, amplifiers, headphones and measurement tools. The Spirit series includes slim LCR speakers built to mount on a wall around a flat-screen TV, and its EDGE subwoofer uses ICEpower amplification. Buyers get 30 days to try a product at home.
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XTZ Sound
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