Hi-Fi Choice - May

HEADPHONES £220-£350
Head rules heart
David Vivian tries out
six pairs of cans with
hi-fi cred and style…
LIKE THAT OTHER comeback kid,
the bicycle, headphones haven’t
changed their basic shape for over a
century. Nathaniel Baldwin started
the ball rolling by making what’s
generally accepted to be the first
recognisable pair on his kitchen table
106 years ago and selling it to the US
Navy as a communications tool. The
inventor neglected to take out a
patent, but the audio world hasn’t
looked back since.
Today’s headphones have imbued
that seminal design with seductive
tech, sexy materials and, of course,
the lure of celebrity-endorsed fashion
status. At no other time in history
have so many heads – especially
young ones – felt the gentle embrace
of pillowy ear pads and the gift of
pulsating bass while going about their
daily business. Some folk, a growing
number it seems, wouldn’t listen to
music any other way.
Sea change
Once considered a fall back if you
couldn’t afford a fine pair of
loudspeakers or – even if you could
– a way to enjoy music at decent
volume levels without annoying the
neighbours or room-sharing relatives,
headphones have become both an
essential lifestyle accessory and,
for a certain kind of audio fan, a
delicious shortcut to hi-fi nirvana:
true high-end sonics at more or less
earthbound prices. A selfish pursuit to
be sure, but one with great rewards.
The six models here veer strongly
towards the audiophile end of the
spectrum. No noise cancelling, no
wireless Bluetooth, no DSP – they
represent the pure breed with
circumaural (over-ear) ear cups and
cables of various lengths and hues to
connect to a source, be it smartphone,
hi-res portable player or dedicated
headphone amp. In deference to
sound quality and the engineering
required to achieve it, it’s bulk before
beauty. This isn’t to say style doesn’t
get a look in, though it’s true that
some try a little harder than others.
24 MAY 2016