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Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
Thekk Novel
reviews
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- Acoustic Design: Open
- Driver Type: Planar Magnetic
- Membrane Material: Polyimide 10 μm
- Membrane Diameter: 80 mm
- Sensitivity: 113 dB / 1V
- Impedance: 42Ω ± 5%
- Cable Connection: Dual-sided
- Connectors: 2 x miniXLR — 6.3 mm jack
- Weight (without cable): 410g
Description
The Thekk headphones, thanks to their 80mm planar magnetic drivers, fully meet the demands of discerning audiophiles for well-articulated spatial sound. The large driver area allows sound to be distributed evenly across the acoustic chamber, creating a fully immersive listening experience.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- 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.
Select products
Select product comparisons
Gjallarhorn GH-40 Con Brio
- Positioning: The entry-level dynamic headphone aimed at users seeking compact design and ease of use in small spaces.
- Description: Offers a robust dynamic driver design with a well-tuned acoustic chamber that provides clear sound for everyday listening. Compared to the other models in the lineup, its simpler engineering and lower price make it attractive for users with modest budgets and basic functionality needs.
Heartland Dynamic
- Positioning: A dynamic headphone variant designed for users who need versatility and portability without sacrificing sound quality.
- Description: Features an updated dynamic diaphragm that improves clarity and driver response, providing a balanced sound signature that stands apart from planar offerings. When compared with the Gjallarhorn model, it offers enhanced mid-range performance and better portability.
Thekk Novel
- Positioning: An entry-level planar magnetic headphone aimed at delivering refined sound quality at an accessible price.
- Description: Uses a unique planar magnetic driver to impart precise detail and an even soundstage, setting it apart from the dynamic models in the range.
Heartland (Planar Magnetic)
- Positioning: A mid-tier planar magnetic headphone built to offer a refined listening experience with improved linearity and soundstage clarity.
- Description: Incorporates planar magnetic technology to deliver a clean, wide sound field that distinguishes it from the dynamic counterparts. In comparison with Thekk Novel and Vinneta, it strikes a balanced compromise between technical innovation and cost.
Vinneta
- Positioning: A high-end planar magnetic headphone designed for the most demanding audiophiles who expect top-tier performance.
- Description: Integrates planar magnetic innovations that deliver an expansive soundstage and meticulous imaging, marking it as the flagship in the lineup. When set against the other models, its superior build quality and refined performance demonstrate the highest technical sophistication.
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Avg. Product Price
$2,501-$5,000
Used For Sale
0
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
808
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
28
Founding Year
2011
Our take on the brand
Kennerton is a hifi headphone brand that pioneered horn-loaded headphones with their Gjallarhorn GH50, which applies loudspeaker-style horn acoustics to a closed-back design for an unusually surround-like soundstage. The brand also develops in-house 80mm planar drivers and uses rare woods like ancient bog oak and stabilized Karelian birch as standard materials rather than limited editions.
Look inside the brand
Brand Page
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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Used
Kennerton
All of the Brand's Used Products
What if you spend more?
HIFIMAN
Susvara Unveiled
8000
8000
/
12
Reviews
HIFIMAN is a hifi brand known for its planar magnetic headphones that use extremely thin diaphragms and acoustically transparent "Stealth Magnets" to reduce sound distortion. The company pioneered high-resolution portable audio players and creates electrostatic headphones that bring high-end sound quality to more accessible price points, as well as widely renowned flagship models such as the Susvara.
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Product Strengths
- Outstanding sound quality with clarity, texture, and detail
- Natural sound provides a you-are-there presence
- Improved microdynamics make them quick and fast
- Easier to drive than the original Susvara due to a changed metal trace on the diaphragm
- Very comfortable, with good weight distribution
- Driver is exposed, making it vulnerable to damage
Product Considerations
- Can be unforgiving on poor recordings
- Lacks soundstage depth and layering compared to some competitors
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Mesa Elite: The Mesa Elite offers greater bass weight and depth in the soundstage
- Vs Audeze LCD-5: The LCD-5 provides more insight into the music, but the Susvara Unveiled excels in reproducing the attack and energy of plucked strings and in bass reproduction
- Vs Focal Utopia 2022: The Utopia balances everything well—tonality, punch, detail, staging—however both have a little edginess from the treble
- Vs HiFiMan HE1000 Unveiled: The HE1000 is brighter and seems a little faster and more detailed, but the Susvara Unveiled is smoother
- Vs Original Susvara: The Unveiled model is more agile and lively, with added energy, clarity, and upper-treble extension, and the original is more laid back
Takeaway: The Susvara Unveiled provides detail and resolution that one has likely never heard before, making them astonishing headphones. If the priority is a reference-style tuning for orchestral music with excellent balance, scale, and tonal response, these headphones can provide a massive sonic treat.
Video review
Our take on the brand
HIFIMAN is a hifi brand known for its planar magnetic headphones that use extremely thin diaphragms and acoustically transparent "Stealth Magnets" to reduce sound distortion. The company pioneered high-resolution portable audio players and creates electrostatic headphones that bring high-end sound quality to more accessible price points, as well as widely renowned flagship models such as the Susvara.
Product Page
Product Page
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RAAL-requisite
Immanis
9460
9460
/
7
Reviews
RAAL-requisite pioneered the world's first full-range true-ribbon headphones with their SR1a, which uses corrugated aluminum ribbons clamped only at the ends and floats freely outside the ear without cups to create a speaker-like soundstage. The brand's extreme low-impedance ribbons require specialised interface units to be run inbetween the amplifier and headphones.
Expand Details
Product Strengths
- Offers a combination of electrostatic resolution with dynamic timbre and planar bass extension, delivering the 'best of all worlds'
- The build quality is superb, with premium materials and craftsmanship that surpass competitors
- Delivers perfectly extended bass with a planar-like slam, with detail, texture, and physicality
- Has a wide soundstage with excellent imaging that creates a holographic feeling of voices and instruments, with a true 360-degree experience
- Very comfortable to wear, despite being somewhat heavy, with good weight distribution and no hot spots
Product Considerations
- Requires a powerful headphone amp to get the most out of it, due to the need for a current drive interface/transformer
- The weight (610g) may be a concern for some users, though the weight is distributed well
- Some vocalists, particularly some female vocalists, may sound more distant than desired
- Bad mastered songs tend to immediately show problems
- Frequency response is dependent on synergy with the amplifier
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs HIFIMAN Susvara, it combines the weight of the original Susvara with the soundstage and resolution improvements of the Susvara Unveiled—more power is needed
- Vs Abyss 1266, it has more body of sound, smoother highs, and tighter, more natural bass, while the Abyss has a wider soundstage, better positioning, and more bass impact
- Vs Dan Clark Audio Stealth, it has a wider soundstage and feels more effortless, and is more open, while the Stealth is closed, has more bass quantity, and a more pleasing treble
- Vs RAAL-requisite CA-1A, it improves upon the CA-1A in terms of body of sound, bass, and timbre, while remaining comfortable, and the CA-1A has a lighter and more forward soundstage
Takeaway: The Immanis is an exceptional headphone that blends various sonic qualities together, boasting great build quality and an immersive sound experience. With the right equipment to support it, one can enjoy a detailed and spacious sound that makes it a top contender in the flagship headphone market.
Video review
Our take on the brand
RAAL-requisite pioneered the world's first full-range true-ribbon headphones with their SR1a, which uses corrugated aluminum ribbons clamped only at the ends and floats freely outside the ear without cups to create a speaker-like soundstage. The brand's extreme low-impedance ribbons require specialised interface units to be run inbetween the amplifier and headphones.
Product Page
Product Page
Spirit Torino
Pulsar
6000
6000
/
2
Reviews
Spirit Torino is a hifi headphone brand that pioneered the Twin Pulse Isobaric System, which uses two synchronized drivers working as one to deliver speaker-like dynamics and weight uncommon in headphones. The brand follows an "inertial frame" philosophy with heavy, mass-loaded aluminum shells and user-tunable mechanical filters that allow listeners to adjust sound signatures without EQ.
Expand Details
Video review
Our take on the brand
Spirit Torino is a hifi headphone brand that pioneered the Twin Pulse Isobaric System, which uses two synchronized drivers working as one to deliver speaker-like dynamics and weight uncommon in headphones. The brand follows an "inertial frame" philosophy with heavy, mass-loaded aluminum shells and user-tunable mechanical filters that allow listeners to adjust sound signatures without EQ.
Product Page
Product Page
RAAL-requisite
Magna
7569
7569
/
1
Reviews
RAAL-requisite pioneered the world's first full-range true-ribbon headphones with their SR1a, which uses corrugated aluminum ribbons clamped only at the ends and floats freely outside the ear without cups to create a speaker-like soundstage. The brand's extreme low-impedance ribbons require specialised interface units to be run inbetween the amplifier and headphones.
Expand Details
Video review
Our take on the brand
RAAL-requisite pioneered the world's first full-range true-ribbon headphones with their SR1a, which uses corrugated aluminum ribbons clamped only at the ends and floats freely outside the ear without cups to create a speaker-like soundstage. The brand's extreme low-impedance ribbons require specialised interface units to be run inbetween the amplifier and headphones.
Product Page
Product Page
What competes at this price?
Kennerton
HeartLand
2870
/
Released
2023
The creation of HeartLand was preceded by long experiments with isodynamic drivers and depth of sound transmission in the vocal range. We were fascinated by the ability of planar-magnetic headphones to convey the smallest details of melody and became curious about how headphones could sound that play evenly and scrupulously accurately across the entire sound range, without articulation on the lows or highs, while maintaining the overall body of music without overwhelming it with detail.
Kennerton is a hifi headphone brand that pioneered horn-loaded headphones with their Gjallarhorn GH50, which applies loudspeaker-style horn acoustics to a closed-back design for an unusually surround-like soundstage. The brand also develops in-house 80mm planar drivers and uses rare woods like ancient bog oak and stabilized Karelian birch as standard materials rather than limited editions.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Excellent build quality with a rustic and classy design, using wood and lambskin materials
- Very comfortable to wear, even for long listening sessions, due to a well-padded suspension headband and soft ear pads
- Impressively wide soundstage
- Thunderous and detailed low-end performance, with great sub-bass and detail retrieval
- Smooth, detailed highs that are not fatiguing
Product Considerations
- The included cable is unbalanced
- Can be considered heavy
- The soundstage depth is not exceptional
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The dynamic version has a different sound delivery than the Kennerton Heartland planar
Takeaway: The Kennerton Heartland is a well-built and comfortable headphone that delivers an exciting and detailed sound, especially in the low end. It's a good choice for those who enjoy a powerful bass response with a smooth overall balance.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Kennerton is a hifi headphone brand that pioneered horn-loaded headphones with their Gjallarhorn GH50, which applies loudspeaker-style horn acoustics to a closed-back design for an unusually surround-like soundstage. The brand also develops in-house 80mm planar drivers and uses rare woods like ancient bog oak and stabilized Karelian birch as standard materials rather than limited editions.
Product Page
Product Page
Kennerton
Vinneta
3277
/
Released
2025
Flagship open-back planar magnetic headphones: A unique combination of planar sound and dynamic bass thanks to a paper membrane, wide soundstage, high resolution and detail.
Kennerton is a hifi headphone brand that pioneered horn-loaded headphones with their Gjallarhorn GH50, which applies loudspeaker-style horn acoustics to a closed-back design for an unusually surround-like soundstage. The brand also develops in-house 80mm planar drivers and uses rare woods like ancient bog oak and stabilized Karelian birch as standard materials rather than limited editions.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Video review
Our take on the brand
Kennerton is a hifi headphone brand that pioneered horn-loaded headphones with their Gjallarhorn GH50, which applies loudspeaker-style horn acoustics to a closed-back design for an unusually surround-like soundstage. The brand also develops in-house 80mm planar drivers and uses rare woods like ancient bog oak and stabilized Karelian birch as standard materials rather than limited editions.
Product Page
Product Page
Austrian Audio
The Composer
2699
/
Released
2024
The Composer is a premium reference headphone designed for connoisseurs and professionals to hear their music in its finest form. These headphones deliver spacious yet precise high frequencies and faithful and swift bass impulses at remarkably low THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) levels, ensuring an incredibly revealing listening journey that sets new standards in high-end listening.
Austrian Audio, founded by the former AKG Vienna core team, manufactures its own ceramic CKR12 capsules and Hi-X headphone drivers in-house in Vienna. Their capsule consistency is so precise that any two microphones can be used as a stereo pair without matching. The brand's microphones feature unique tech, including dual-output mode for reshaping polar patterns in post-production, and real-time wireless polar pattern control via Bluetooth.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Built with premium, high-quality, sturdy materials with a solid feel
- Very comfortable and relatively lightweight, suitable for long listening sessions
- Easy to drive with low impedance and reasonable sensitivity
- Delivers a reference-grade sense of clarity, balance, and vast soundstage
- Excellent instrument separation and imaging
- Easy to drive with low impedance and reasonable sensitivity
Product Considerations
- Some reviewers found the range of headband adjustment limited, making it potentially unsuitable for those with smaller heads
- The banana plug cable connectors are proprietary, limiting third-party cable options
- The stock cable is acceptable, but not particularly premium feeling
- The bass is a little lightweight and might require EQ adjustment for some listeners
- A dip at 2kHz was noted by some reviewers
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Sennheiser HD800S: The Composer has better bass extension, but the HD800S has better resolution and detail
- Vs HIFIMAN Arya/HE1000 series: The Composer sounds more natural than some HIFIMAN planars, and it may have greater bass depth
- Vs Meze Audio Empyrean II: The Composer goes deeper in the soundstage, with better layering and more sub-bass presence, but the Empyrean II is softer and more relaxed
- Vs ZMF Outure Classic: The Composer has better bass response but is smoother and more tame in the treble
Takeaway: The Austrian Audio Composer is a well-built, comfortable, and easy-to-drive headphone with a balanced, clear, and detailed sound signature. It offers a reference quality that can be great for critical listening and casual enjoyment.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Austrian Audio, founded by the former AKG Vienna core team, manufactures its own ceramic CKR12 capsules and Hi-X headphone drivers in-house in Vienna. Their capsule consistency is so precise that any two microphones can be used as a stereo pair without matching. The brand's microphones feature unique tech, including dual-output mode for reshaping polar patterns in post-production, and real-time wireless polar pattern control via Bluetooth.
Product Page
Product Page
Abyss
Diana MR
2995
/
Released
2023
DIANA MR headphones are designed to connect those who appreciate top shelf headphone sound with a minor focus on midrange and vocals. ABYSS developed this highly refined full-range planar headphone with ultra low distortion and smooth addictive clarity to sound. A relatively low 30 ohm impedance works well with low voltage portable battery operated gear as well as higher power desktop electronics, extracting excellent resolution while still sounding lush in the bass.
Abyss is a hifi headphone brand that uses a patented single-sided planar-magnetic driver architecture and machines all-aluminum chassis with foamed-aluminum acoustics in their New York facility, targeting a "speakers-in-room" sound rather than typical headphone presentation. The brand offers granular fit adjustments through magnetic pad systems and interchangeable acoustic pads that allow owners to intentionally shift tonal balance, supported by a 10-year warranty and vertical integration from driver production to final assembly.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Delivers a beautifully smooth and refreshingly beefy tuning compared to previous Diana headphones
- The most comfortable planar magnetic set of cans ever worn
- Build quality is very impressive
- Good mid-range
Product Considerations
- Needs additional padding for optimal scalp comfort
- Treble can become problematic
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Diana MR most remind reviewer of a super version of the HIFIMAN Edition XS
- Spatial presentation is better from the HIFIMAN HE1000SE, and the midrange is better balanced as well
Takeaway: The Diana MR is the most accessible set of high-end open-back planar headphones to date from Abyss. It is a fun and impressive listen.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Abyss is a hifi headphone brand that uses a patented single-sided planar-magnetic driver architecture and machines all-aluminum chassis with foamed-aluminum acoustics in their New York facility, targeting a "speakers-in-room" sound rather than typical headphone presentation. The brand offers granular fit adjustments through magnetic pad systems and interchangeable acoustic pads that allow owners to intentionally shift tonal balance, supported by a 10-year warranty and vertical integration from driver production to final assembly.
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Product Page
final
D8000 Pro Edition
4799
/
Released
2019
Introducing the D8000 Pro Edition high end headphones bestseller. Leaving the delicate sound quality intact, we have tuned D8000 using the Air Film Damping System (AFDS) exclusively for professional use upon the request of recording engineers who wish to listen at louder sound volumes than ordinary consumers. The human auditory characteristic by which low frequency range becomes easier to hear as sound volume increases has also been taken into consideration. As a result, in comparison to the D8000 which is suitable particularly for classical music and other selections featuring a wide dynamic range, the D8000 Pro Edition provides sound quality perceived to be of higher clarity when listening to rock, pops and other selections that feature a narrow dynamic range.
Final is a hifi audio brand known for deep in-house manufacturing control by designing and building its own diaphragm-forming machines and assembly jigs, while engineering products like their D-series headphones for longevity through screw-fastened parts that enable user repairs and future upgrades.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Excellent bass reproduction with well-textured low tones, exceptional definition, articulation, and clean, nuanced deep sub-bass extension.
- Detail retrieval and image clarity are remarkably good, competing with some of the very best headphones in the summit category.
- Outstanding build quality, featuring a precisely machined aluminum-magnesium alloy chassis, conveys sturdiness and care in assembly.
- The new pads are made from Toray Ultrasuede and are deeper and marginally firmer than the original memory foam cushions.
- Easy to drive, with 60-ohm impedance and 98 dB sensitivity.
Product Considerations
- A bit scooped out in the two kilohertz to three kilohertz range, almost like the ear gain has been taken and moved upwards in the frequency spectrum a bit.
- Comfort can be an issue, due to the circular earcups not fitting larger ears well and the headband lacking sufficient padding for the headphone's weight.
- The stock cable with the quarter-inch termination is heavy, potentially dragging the headphone down uncomfortably.
- The proprietary 3.5mm connectors with locking mechanisms can make finding aftermarket cables difficult.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the HIFIMAN Susvara, the Susvara is lighter, more comfortable, and also has better detail retrieval.
- Compared to the Audeze LCD4, the Final Audio D8000 Pro competes in many of the technical aspects that really matter, like detail.
Takeaway: The D8000 Pro is a well-built, detailed headphone with exceptional bass and a unique planar sound signature, perfect for audiophiles who want something different from standard planar sound profiles. Its high level of detail and solid dynamics create an engaging listening experience for those who appreciate nuanced sound.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Final is a hifi audio brand known for deep in-house manufacturing control by designing and building its own diaphragm-forming machines and assembly jigs, while engineering products like their D-series headphones for longevity through screw-fastened parts that enable user repairs and future upgrades.
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