monitoring

Music today is increasingly consumed through headphones, but usually produced on and for loudspeakers. While playback on headphones can seem impressive and wide-ranging, it has little to do with the stereo image of well-positioned stereo speakers. The reasons for this lie in our perception of...

Professional in-ear headphones for use on stage have to cope with a tough daily routine. Nevertheless, comparatively delicate devices such as in-ear headphones are necessary because their discreet appearance does not distract from the performance and allows for increased freedom of movement on stage. In...

Headphones are subjected to a demanding and rigorous daily routine when used on stage. In order to do their job, they should be of a suitably robust design. The use of comparatively delicate in-ear monitors seems at first glance to be incongruous, yet they are...

It was exactly seven years ago that the SMB-02 debuted from the then newly founded headphone company "Phonon". The founding trio of the company consisted of Isao Kumano, Yusuke Uchiyama and Alex Prat, all of whom are active musicians, producers, engineers and DJs – the...

Chinese manufacturer FiiO uses dynamic drivers with a Diamond-Like Carbon diaphragm and a beryllium coating for a clear, balanced sound image in the FD5. Tuning options such as swapping ear tips and tubes are also said to allow for customisation, offering a choice of a...

With the Austrian Audio Hi-X65, the successor to AKG in Vienna present their first open headphones. These are aimed not only at demanding professional users from the recording studio sector but also at fans of audiophile listening pleasure.

With the G733, Logitech add a wireless gaming headset to its range that claims to have been specially designed with wearing comfort in mind. It also offers surround sound, voice filters from subsidiary Blue Microphones and RGB lighting that can be configured via software.

The Clear Mg Professional from Focal is the successor to the Clear Professional. Those come from the French manufacturer's Professional series and are expressly aimed at professional and demanding sound engineers, while Focal offers the Clear Mg to the audiophile music lovers segment of the...

The flagship model among the SPL's headphone amplifiers is the Phonitor xe. In contrast to the similarly priced Phonitor x, which with its balanced output can also be used as a preamplifier for a power amplifier and loudspeakers, the Phonitor xe is a pure headphone...

The German manufacturer ESI offers a wide range of products for use in professional sound and home studios. With attractive prices and practical features, they are aimed at beginners as well as customers in the mid-price bracket. With the eXtra 10 model, the manufacturer makes...