With the HD 800 S and HD 820 models, Sennheiser offers first-class headphones aimed at demanding music lovers. Naturally, the corresponding headphone amplifier is not missing from the range of products offered by the Lower Saxony-based manufacturer: The HDV 820 is housed in a stylish, flat, black anodised casing with an internal power supply unit and so visually it is a matching partner to the HD 800 S.
With the exception of the Orpheus HE-1, the HD 800 S is the top model among Sennheiser's open headphones. The successor to the HD 800 from 2009 is available both in the regular version tested here in black and in a technically identical Anniversary Edition in stylish matt gold which is limited to 750 units - and available for the same price.
For smartphones and inexpensive stationary audio devices, but also in the studio, one should refrain from making overly high demands on integrated headphone amplifiers. They are part of an overall cost calculation for the product and often, in a sense, more of an accessory than a selling point. Accordingly, a dedicated headphone amplifier can certainly improve your listening experience, since it is a piece of technology that devotes its full attention to precisely this task. This is the case with the Phonitor One from SPL.
In studio circles, the American company Avantone Pro has been known (and loved) for years for reissuing legendary studio monitors such as Yamaha's NS-10 or Auratone's Soundcube, as well as a whole range of classic microphones of outstanding quality. But more and more often Avantone also release their own creations, which are often much more exciting than the replicas. One of these new developments is the Planar - an open studio headphone that uses the somewhat exotic magnetostatic driver principle.
The Danish high-end manufacturer Bang & Olufsen celebrate their 95th birthday with the special model H95, which - as of 2020 - seeks to combine all their experience and technical know-how in a pair of stylish ANC headphones.
Almost exactly four years ago, the second generation Beyerdynamic T 5 entered the market, and they performed impeccably. Now, these high-end headphones are back – in their third generation.
Dan Clark Audio introduce the Aeon 2 Open, an open-back circumaural headphone with planar magnetic drivers for use on the move.
The 4-way Ultrasone Saphire are in-ears that provide six drivers at once, and use balanced armature and electrostatic technology.
With the EAH-TZ700, Technics demonstrate an audiophile ear for transparent and balanced sound that literally isolates you from your surroundings.