Altiat CAL.1H

Some people think that there's absolutely nothing special about this headphone.
I disagree.



Intro & Disclaimer

The Altiat Caliber 1H is India's first high-end dynamic headphone.
Altiat is the daughter company of Kaldas Research, the first company founded by Aumkar Chandan.
I'm not going to lie. It's going to be very difficult for me to remain unbiased for this review.
I've known of Aumkar on head-fi and YouTube for many years, originally because of our shared love of vintage headphones.


Build, Design & Ergonomics

For this review, we will be looking at the King Emerald version of this headphone, with the velour ear pads, which retails at $450 excluding local duties.

At the heart of these headphones are the stunning uni-body aluminium cups which are machined out of a single block of 6000-series aluminium alloy.
While other headphones may feel like a sum of parts, the Cal.1H feels like everything is built around these cups.
They are an anchor that brings everything together.
Also they are not just a solid piece of metal; the Multi-Stage Automotive-Grade paint finish provides an mechanically hard protective coating that is equally functional as it is alluring.

The rear grills are made up of a perforrated metal grill plate and an aluminium mounting ring, where the model number is engraved.

On the backs of the cups, are two anodized aluminium yokes which connect to two stainless spring steel headband harps.
Suspended between them is a headband that appears to be a composite sandwich of leather on top and what appears to be something like closed-cell craft foam on the underside.
No doubt a combination that is designed to not only provide comfort, but possess significant longevity.

And finally at the bottom of the cups is a pair of mini XLR sockets.
While these are not the most popular sockets in the headphone community, they are one of the more robust options and suit the rest of the headphone, which exudes heft and instills confidence. And as if to erase any final doubt, every obvious joint is held in place with hex-socket machine-screws.



The baffle appears to be 3D printed plastic which is slightly flexible so it should also be somewhat resistant to cracking.
Under that is the 50mm in-filled PET driver, which is surrounded by damping foam, filling the indents within the aluminium cups.
In every part of this headphone so far I've felt nothing but a passion for every deliberate line, curve and screw; except for the driver which is an off-the-shelf part.
That isn't to say I think it's a bad choice, as a headphone is always the sum of it's parts.

The ear pads contain foam which is neither too hard or too soft.
Too hard is easy enough to understand, but you also don't want foam to be too soft either, as foam that is not dense enough will deflate excessively and cause too much deviation in the relative distance of driver to the ear, which in turn will cause deviation from the tuning target.
The ear pads are covered in a good quality velour that I do not find itchy or uncomfortable, but this velour is quite a dust magnet compared to other velour pads I've owned over the years.
I was happy to see protein leather mounting rings on the backs of the pads, not only because they are a reliable material but also because a standard ear pad mounting system was chosen, making it easy to roll your own aftermarket ear pads.
The stock velour pads also contain sealed 'puck' of damping material, which plays a part in the tuning of the headphone.



My experience with the build quality was mostly perfect aside from a small defect in one of the headband harps which had too much play on one side of it's sockets in the yoke.
After sending some emails back and forth I was offered a replacement harp free of charge, but instead I ended up remedying the problem with a thin sliver of paper folded multiple times to fill the void within the slot.
After a week or two of breaking in, there was a little more play, so I simply added another layer of paper.
I'm not a fan of production waste, and I almost always prefer to fix things myself to save money and resources if possible, as it's better for the environment and gives me a sense of wellbeing.

So, with that said, this isn't a problem I've seen recorded on any of the forums, so while I was tempted to ignore it as a one-off, I'll settle for downplaying it as a problem that I found relatively easy to fix.
At the end of the day, I was offered a replacement part, so I think that's the main takeaway here.

At first I also thought my entire headband assembly was loose on both sides, as there is some play in both yokes, but I was assured this was a necessary compromise that is only present on the painted models to ensure no damage to the paint around the yoke contact point, and I received a video from Altiat confirming it is within factory spec on their other painted models.
So, to clear - this much play is not present on the other wooden and anodized aluminium cup models.



Ergonomics

No doubt the design is fabulous, the build is solid but ergonomics might be the stumbling block.
Personally, I felt like these headphones were made for my head despite the total lack of mechanical cup rotation.
The documentation in the box guides you through a simple process of bending the headband harps if there is any discomfort, and we are reassured that they are designed with this in mind.

Seeing how much effort has gone into the design and material choices, I feel like this kind of design choice is less of an oversight or a workaround and more of a best worst option to guarantee longevity.
I've seen many other headphones costing hundreds of euros that have failed specifically at the headband pivot.
One way to prevent that is to eliminate it from the design altogether.

I don't fully agree with this either, as the user is the one who may suffer because of it.

Cable

The cable has changed since the release of this headphone.
This is the latest version with a beefy black metal 3.5mm plug that looks similar to Amphenol plugs. I do like these as they have a functional grip design.
The mini XLR plugs are also black to match, but with plastic housings instead of metal.
All plugs are not thread-sealed so they can be easily repaired or modified at home.
The cable is a four-core coil with a simple heat-shrink tube at the Y-split, and a red tube as right-channel indicator.

So essentially you're getting a fairly high quality handmade cable.



It's nothing extra beautiful or stylish, but I am totally satisfied with the build quality and craftsmanship. Having built a few of my own cables I can see that this was made with care and attention to detail.

It does however use quite hard wires that retain quite a lot of memory.
This will likely be a point of complaint from some people. I also found it a bit unwieldy at my computer desk where I do most of my home listening.

The Sound

These headphones don't sound quite like any other headphone I own, or any other headphone I've ever tried out.
There are aspects of it which are neutral, and others which are not.
The soundstage is neither big or small, and there are no parts of the sound that are fatiguing or obviously missing.
A quick audition should tell you immediately that it is warm, smooth and relaxed, and to use a horrible metaphor - almost analogue in it's presentation.

I asked Aumkar which ear pads he thinks sound best on the Cal.1H and he told me the velour pads.
So that's why I use these pads and not the alcantara.
I think these pads work well with the headphone and the tuning is quite tasteful.

Comparing the Cal.1H with my modified Hifiman HE-500, a significant amount of the midrange and bass is almost neutral with a slow dip into the upper mids, which is where the warmth comes from.



This scoop into 2-4KHz is also something that can create a false sense of scale. This is obviously further away from a true neutral measurement, but feels like a larger sound and sense of space.

The sub-bass rolloff guarantees a non-fatiguing bass sound, and while it doesn't look so impressive beside the absolutely linear sub-bass of the HE-500, here's the Sennheiser HD650 for a more 'normal' comparison (dynamic vs. dynamic).



Clearly the bass is not just better extended, it is very thick and lush for an open-back dynamic headphone.

Of course, this level of warmth might be overwhelming for some, and the slight lack of energy around 10KHz will convince others that the headphone is lacking detail or sparkle, but what you get is a well crafted sound that I think excels especially on lower volumes; and no this isn't a joke about it being for the best if nobody listens to it, the Cal.1H is just great for a quieter, calm, relaxed listening, and since I've owned it, I've barely had any reason or desire to use my other headphones.
Despite the heavy solid metal cups, I can leave this on all day and listen all day without any discomfort or fatigue.

A long time ago I used to think that headphones were primarily something to listen to music with, but in the past few years I have changed my mind - firstly headphones are a human interface and something you wear. It doesn't matter how great they sound if you don't enjoy wearing it.

Luckily for me, the sound profile is just as enveloping and comforting as is it to wear.

Pad Rolling & Mods

Out of all my spare ear pads lying around, the only ones I would give a soft recommendation for are the Geekria Comfort Mesh pads, as they get the closest to the stock tuning.
Just make sure to leave out the tuning puck that comes with the stock velour pads, otherwise the sound will become darker and warmer than stock.



Generally, I would also not recommend taking the tuning pucks out of the stock velour pads.
I know some people will be tempted to do this to acquire a more detailed sound, a yes, while the result does indeed yield more treble and perceived detail, I feel like the whole presentation changes for the worse too.
If you do own these headphones and want to keep the tuning intact and you do want a little more perceived detail, the Geekria Comfort Mesh pads should be the way to go.

Conclusions

As advertised on the website, this headphone is not trying to break new grounds.
It's not a reference model, or a headphone for making and mastering music.

It's a bespoke, item of design-wear.
It boldly stands out of a sea of plastic, consumable e-waste.

Let's be honest.
You're probably not buying this headphone for how it sounds.
But even then, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised.

For some people, this might be the obvious next step up if you enjoyed the presentation of the HD600 or HD650, but above all really need a good kick in the bass.
Between the Fidelio X2 and Focal Clear, there are practically no other open-back bassy headphones, or Harman compliant headphones I can think of.

Despite all that, I don't know if I can fully recommend this headphone.
It could be a touch more detailed, and it has some quirks in it's design.

But, I think that's also what makes it so charming.
Something I can only describe as an uncanny emotional response that so many mass produced, lifeless plastic products cannot hope to accomplish.

Overall I think the Cal.1H is pretty damn fine.



If you don't like reading, here's a video version of this review:

The headphone industry has been pretty still for the past few years, and while I cannot deny that there have been a number of exciting releases, the companies have mostly stayed the same. The big bunch (e.g. Sennheiser, Sony, Audeze, Focal) have been and continue to dominate the market. It’s true, we have seen new companies come to the market. However, we have yet to see one step up and operate at a greater scale. Meze Audio is an exception, having grown from a small boutique manufacturer to a prominent high-end headphones manufacturer.

Aumkar Chandan is an exception, but for different reasons. He has been challenging the industry by delivering high-performance headphones at a reasonable price, unlike other companies. Once you experience his creations, the word “value” gets a whole different meaning. Pricing is not the only rule-breaking speciality, as both his business ventures offer bespoke customization options! If you like his creations, but want to get that personalized touch, that option is on the table. It’s far from speccing a car. After all, Aumkar draws inspiration from Horacio Pagani and Christian von Koenigsegg.

Disclaimer​

The CAL.1H has been provided to me free of charge. I am neither gaining any financial benefit from Altiat, Aumkar, or Kaldas Research, nor am I affiliated with any of them. The review is strictly based on my personal experience, and is free of bias from an external force (whether it be the manufacturer, others' opinions, or online influence). All my views and opinions are freely expressed in the review.
All photography is original, by me.

Note: The CAL.1H you see in the photography is a review sample. It is a faulty Orange Stone finish, hence why it appears dirty orange and brown-ish. Orange Stone is a bright orange finish.

Click to expand...

Design

When Aumkar first shared the CAL.1H with me, I felt butterflies in my stomach, and I’m beginning to realize that he is very good at causing those.

Usually the new kid on the block stays within the lines, Kaldas Research and Altiat, however, shatter all norms with their chin high up. They’re in their own lane, if you will. If the former’s headphone looks like it came straight from Alien, then Altiat’s gets away being the Pagani Huayra or the Koenigsegg CCX. Speaking of cars, over the last two years or so, I have been dreaming of a headphone heavily drawing inspiration from the automotive world. Among the many aspects that can be appreciated in sports cars and hypercars is the design aspect. Everything flows. It’s one of the few instances where you have a team of designers being able to execute their jobs at the most advanced level. The luxury automotive industry in particular is where this idea of customization and personalization is present in its most extreme form. I’ve been waiting for speccing to be offered in the headphone industry for years. Aumkar finally brought this idea to life with the “Kaldas Bespoke” program.

There are three distinct parts of the CAL.1H: headband, yoke, ear-cups

The diamond-shaped headband is made up of two independent metal strips that are screwed right into the yoke. The height adjustment system works with the help of two plastic parts that hold the leather strap. These plastic pieces can slide up and down a rod that is directly screwed into the center of the yoke. An interesting feature of this system is that it allows the leather strap to be rotated inwards and outwards, giving you the option to choose between having a forward or backward grip on your head.

Most headphones feature a fork-style yoke, but if there is one recognizable design choice in Aumkar’s two headphones it is the single yoke attached to the back of the ear-cups. Whether or not a functionally beneficial choice, it is something that is unique. In the case of the CAL.1H, it wouldn’t be the same headphone without it. I also found it interesting how the yoke was designed to be round and soft everywhere but the ending point, which has semi-aggressive corners. They almost bite!

As for the ear-cups, no words will do them justice. These babies right here are the star of the show. Many authors tend to use poetry to describe sound, but that’s something I never allowed in my work because it provides no value other than entertainment. However, if there is one time where I’ll make an exception, it’s here, talking about the design. It would go something along the lines of:

Their graceful curves, a seductive invitation, begging us to come and be enveloped in their warm embrace. Their sleek contours, a tantalizing tease, like a sheer fabric flowing over their divine body. The smooth lines, a symphony in motion, beckon us to touch and explore every inch of their being. Forbidden to the touch, like a work of art, to be admired only from afar. A mesmerizing sight, dunes, they are.


Build Quality

Anodized unibody aluminum ear-cups at $400?! You could only ever see that coming from Aumkar. I also believe that this is the main selling point of these headphones. The current trend in the industry is to price the headphones higher, and higher, and then there’s Altiat and Kaldas Research, going completely against the grain.

The ear-cups are SOLID. It’s hard to imagine 6000 series aluminum to be anything other than well-built. The edges are clean, the surface is smooth, the curves are smooth for the most part, there are no weak points. The only complaint I have is that close to the yoke there are these “cuts” where the heavy curvature is. Other than that, the manufacturing is spotless! The precision on the construction is quite something. It would be far from a stretch to say that no manufacturer offers a headphone under $1k that can match Altiat’s build quality. I think the closest you will get is Spirit Torino’s headphones, and for your information, the cheapest one starts at €1600.

Moving on to the headphone yoke, there are no complaints. It’s also made of anodized aluminum and is hard as a rock. I’m happy to report that there are no weak points or flexing. And then there are the spring steel headband strips… These two, I’m telling you, these two and I don’t get along. I can’t figure out exactly what it is, but they don’t provide stability, causing the ear-cups to be very floppy. Perhaps this is because of how shallow the connecting point is?

I would like to put the accent on how insane it is to have solid aluminum ear-cups at only $399. It’s not impressive, it’s mind-boggling. If we only take the ear-cups into consideration, I could easily see them in a pair of headphones that cost two, even three times the CAL.1H’s MSRP. Personally, I know that the profit margins on these headphones are very low, and I know that because I know how Aumkar views his supporters—he makes sure you get your money’s worth down to the last penny!

There’s no need for me to directly name the headphones at this price range, you know them. I’m going to shamelessly repeat this numerous times throughout this article, the word “value” gains a whole different meaning after you touch anything from Kaldas Research or Altiat. It’s one thing to be making headphones out of passion, but it’s entirely another to be sacrificing potential profit for the sake of making it affordable to more people. He is using his inherited family business, a manufacturing factory, to his detriment, but for the benefit of his customers.


Comfort

In all honesty, discovering comfort with these headphones was a journey.

When I first put the headphones on my head, I sighed in disappointment—they didn’t fit me. The ear-pads didn’t seal behind my ears. It was clear that this was directly resulted by the lack of swivel. In my opinion, this is a flaw in design, but that’s a topic in itself. Usually, this would be a problem that I would overcome by bending the yoke, but in this case, the yoke consisted of two independent metal strips. I completely demolished those strips due to the number of times I bent them. I didn’t break them, but the paint cracked off and the whole headband structure was deformed. Out of the box, the clamp force was fairly relaxed, which was quite bothersome. Whenever I leaned slightly forward, the headphone would slide off. I’m after perfection, so I couldn’t start the critical judgement process until I got the fit right. In this case, it meant that I didn’t stop fiddling with it for a month. Whenever I though it was perfect, I laid it off to the side, only to find myself picking it up after a few days, putting it on and thinking to myself, “This isn’t it, it can be better.”.

You cannot imagine the relief I felt after finally, finally getting it right! After going through this journey, I realized something. I am the problem. The majority of people have fat around their neck and on their face, and therefore won’t face my problems. Although Aumkar reassured me that he received no negative feedback about comfort from the couple hundred customers, the only way the CAL.1H could truly be a “one-size-fits-all” headphone would by allowing the ear-cups to rotate horizontally. That way the clamp force would be evenly distributed and the ear-cups would sit at the right angle for everyone.

Anyhow, after tailoring the headband to my head, everything was in place. Now my ears comfortably sit within the ear-pads, the Alcantara feels pleasant on the skin, and the seal is perfect. What’s more to say about the material choice for the pads than “Alcantara”? Considering what you are getting at this price point from Altiat, it’s silly, but I have to say that the ear-pads did appear to be more boutique-like. The inner stitching on the pads started ripping on my pair, so perhaps higher quality materials could be used. But, once again, it’s silly to ask for this. However, I think it’s an important piece of critical feedback that’s essential to the manufacturer! When I covered the Kaldas Research RR1 Conquest, I suggested for the leather headband to be reinforced because it was way too thin and took no effort for it to rip. Later on, more people started sharing the same experience. To no surprise, Aumkar took the feedback seriously and made the headband on this headphone more reliable by making the faux leather slightly thicker, but also by including foam lining.

Although it was tedious process early on, self-tailoring paid off in a major way for me. I truly feel like I utilized the CAL.1H to its full potential, especially after tightening the clamp force and ensuring that the cups seal evenly all-around. Keep in mind that this could be the very reason why your listening experience differs from mine!


Cable

To keep it straightforward, there’s no nicer way to put that I find the cable horrendous. I’d rather there be no cable, that’s how I honestly feel about it. This is where I get nitpicky, and I ask you to forgive me for just that.

Back when I covered the RR1 Conquest from Kaldas Research, I was happy that Aumkar actually came through with a high-quality rubber cable. Actually, I was more than happy. That cable was perfection. Also, remember that I am not a guy who judges cables by ‘sound performance’. When it comes to cables affecting sound, I am neither a denier nor a believer. My expectation from a cable can vary depending on what type of a headphone is in question. In this case, we have this absolutely stunning and slim CAL.1H, and then there’s the cable… I know one thing, if a cable makes me not want to pick up a pair of headphones, I know for a fact it’s not my cup of tea. More than that—if my opinion holds any value—I don’t think the cable is CAL.1H’s cup of tea either.

If the cable doesn’t compliment a pair of headphones, the least it should do is not get in their way. What’s all this yadi, yadi, yada for? In my eyes, the CAL.1H is a very progressive (ahead of time), while the cable is taking it back to the stone age.

First of all, Mini XLR… Really? I’d have a different stance if a big headphone was in question, something that’s intended for stationary use, but that’s not the case here. At most, I see 2.5mm connectors being used. To think of any custom connector solutions would be too much to ask for. With or without a locking mechanism, 2.5mm connectors would be a much more suitable solution for the CAL.1H.

Back to the stock cable. More specifically, I want to talk about the wire part of it. The sheathing appears to be braided nylon, and I don’t like it whatsoever. It’s stiff, it’s coarse, and it’s kinda bulky. A reoccurring problem I noticed in Mini XLR headphone cables is their directionality is overlooked. How so? In order to connect Mini XLR connectors, you must align the notch on the male end with the female end. What manufacturers don’t do is make the cable connectors align with the headphone connectors. This would otherwise not be a problem, but when you have a stiff cable, it creates tension and makes the cable twist in an odd angle. The other problem is flexibility. It’s not a cable that likes to be twisted. If you put two and two together, it's not hard to imagine what happens when you have to twist the connectors to align them—disaster!

Oh, you thought it couldn’t get any worse? The Y-splitter… Roll the Naked Gun epic facepalm clip.
At this point, this is a crime. Imagine me in tears, because I don’t understand what this massive chunk is doing on the cable! It’s H-U-G-E.

It hurts to write this wall of negativity. It truly does, because the CAL.1H deserves better. I am just fulfilling my role as a critic, that’s what I have to do. I believe I know Aumkar well enough to know that he appreciates this sort of honesty, as he takes in all the feedback and moves forward. It’s 2023, and it’s time for big bulky headphone cable to go away! We need more modern solutions like Estron’s T2 premium miniature connectors. Small & reliable, that’s the way to go.

Sound Performance​

Aumkar was transparent, “CAL.1H is not trying to break new grounds. It's an honest take on Electrodynamic transmission”. It is not claiming to be the next game changer, instead, it’s just aims to be good-sounding headphone. Nothing more, nothing less. Aumkar must've started out with the concept of the CAL.1H, and then it was just a matter of making it sound good. If I’m not mistaken, the concept were the aluminum ear-cups and their design. Sennhesier’s HD650 has been mentioned in comparison, and I’ll try to make the comparison between the CAL.1H and the HD6XX, which is the closest headphone I have to the HD650. Since most are already familiar with the differences between the HD6XX and the HD650, it shouldn’t be hard to draw some conclusions. As you are about to find out why, I find the CAL.1H and the 6XX to be two different flavors.

Lows​

As was apparent in my standard test tracks [“Hydrogen” by MOON, “Smoking Mirrors by Lee Curtiss”, “Do I Wanna Know?” by Arctic Monkeys], the two headphones are worlds apart.

This is just one of the headphones that sounds so natural to the ears that you may as well melt into your chair. It’s so mellow! And there’s no other word that better describes it than “mellow”. It’s not flat, it’s not overwhelming, it’s just the right amount. The transitional speed is not overly tight nor overly loose, it’s just right. It heavily reminds me of my beloved iBasso SR2, especially the mid-bass. CAL.1H has more weight in the mid-bass, likely due to more lower mid-bass presence, giving it more thud and heft.

Whereas CAL.1H can be considered as “wet”, the HD6XX is the polar opposite, “dry”. It’s flat and hollow in comparison. The latter doesn’t have full-body bass, but that doesn’t mean that you lose out on all the nuance in the low end. Because of its sound signature, lows stick out, but in the most delicate and subtle way. On the other hand, the CAL.1H, like its build, is heavy in sound. Thanks to its open-back design, the volume has where to escape and give it some room to breathe.

Sub-bass is also soft (in quality, not quantity) like the mid-bass. It is surprisingly full and deep for an open-back headphone, Especially to the extent that the CAL.1H is open. No, it doesn’t growl, but it certainly fills your ears with heavy presence of sub-bass tones. For example, the physical sensation of rumble is something I experienced on the SR2, a semi-open headphone. I wouldn’t expect to hear it in an open-back. In Hans Zimmer’s “Why so Serious?”, at 3:26, you can hear the sub-bass tones pulsate with a fair amount of volume. The same quality can be heard in Robbie Robertson’s “Theme for The Irishman”, more specifically, the cello and the drums. The HD6XX shares similar qualities, but sub-bass has significantly less definition and presence.

Mids​

For whatever reason, the first album that I found myself listening to was Russian Circles’ “Geneva”. Although the band is a recent discovery of mine, I immediately fell in love with it. It’s an experience, it’s not music. It takes you to another place, another planet. Instead of dissecting each element in their highly complex mixes, I will focus on the overall ‘image’.

Fathom, the first track in the album, was where I immediately noticed how smooth-sounding the CAL.1H is. Regardless of how intense the track gets, it retains control at all times. For example, right at the 2:30 minute mark, ‘chaos’ erupts in the track. CAL.1H keeps it tame, warm—no signs of protruding edge. The HD6XX, on the other hand…


If you are a masochist, you’ll prefer the HD6XX.

Still focusing on “Geneva”, the HD6XX is forward [in the negative sense of the word], while the CAL.1H is laid-back. Hard on the ears, grungy, grainy, harsh, are all words I find fitting to describe what my ears are hearing through the HD6XX. It made me feel uneasy, causing fatigue in my ears and even giving me a headache. That’s the theme of the album, but do you really want to physically torture yourself?

You know how it is with me and acoustic stringed instruments, if a headphone doesn’t reproduce them right, I can’t bond with it. In this regard, the CAL.1H doesn’t disappoint one bit. In fact, it sounds excellent! It benefits from the low mid-range extension, allowing it to capture each pluck accurately. You feel each pluck. It’s challenging for headphones to truthfully capture this nuance of plucks, and some do it more accurately than others. The HD6XX doesn’t have the same magic, but it has the upper mid-range extension. When you compare the two, plucks sound concerningly flat and lifeless on the HD6XX, regardless of the sparkle it, in theory, benefits from. This is audible in both the introduction of Deep Purple’s “Soldier of Fortune” and Pink Floyd’s “Hey You”. I was awestruck when I heard Yao Si Ting’s “Speak Softly, Love”, where the CAL.1H captured the most delicate nuances in the plucks, with each pluck gently tickling my ear. This is the stuff that I’m after!

However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows as I might’ve portrayed. At first, I was listening to the CAL.1H and found it to sound very pleasing and refined with vocals… Then I took out the HD6XX, and boy, was I stunned! The HD6XX sounds much more neutral and transparent with vocals, they sound more accurate. Piano notes also sound more pleasing on the HD6XX, but again, that’s thanks to that upper mid-range extension. The CAL.1H gives piano notes the bottom depth, while it keeps the upper end smooth and soft. When listening to Sia’s “Chandelier (Piano Version)” and “Elastic Heart (Piano Version)”, the vocals on the CAL.1H sounded muddy-ish. Personally, I believe this could be fixed if you play around with the dampening materials below the ear-pads, because the one that’s pre-installed is kind of chubby. This would explain where that muddiness comes from. If you take the ear-pads off of the HD6XX, you will see that it only has a thin acoustic foam-like cover.

It should be noted that the CAL.1H sounds muddier only when compared to the HD6XX. On its own, it doesn’t scream “muddy”. I might say that the vocals don’t sound the most resolving, but I would never call them muddy. The mid-range is tuned to be easy to listen to. What I like about this tuning is that it pulls it off without sounding lifeless. While poppy sounds are soft, more intense vocals retain the edge without coming off as sharp.

Highs​

They stay warm most of the time.

Like the mid-range, they don’t lose life and most certainly don’t sound boring. Both of these characteristics are very common with warm sound signatures, and it’s one of the reasons why I dislike warm headphones. I am looking for that energy up top, and that’s because it’s one of the most attractive elements in music to me. Openly being a sparkle junkie, I will say that I can appreciate the smooth top end of the CAL.1H.

Peaks retain their edge and there’s still a little bit of a buzz from them, which I appreciate very much. Some tracks that showcase this quality are: Miles Davis’ “Portia”, Stevie Wonder’s mouth harmonica in Travis Scott’s “Stop Trying to Be God” (4:43 - 5:43), Ronnie James Dio’s “Dream On”. The last track in particular is a great example of these headphones’ mean side. I love it because it isn’t tame and boring like other warm headphones I listened to. It has a wilder side which it doesn’t show often, but when it does, it’s great! On the other hand, lower treble features a greater roll-off.
Percussion [e.g. snare drums] doesn’t pop or shimmer. For example, Alphaville’s “Summer In Berlin” and “Sounds Like A Melody” are tracks where I’m used to hearing bright snares that pop, but with the CAL.1H they are not as forward. Similarly, percussion is relaxed as opposed to snappy.

As a whole, the upper end is laid-back, but peaks still have a tasteful amount of shimmer which makes sure the treble never gets dull.

Soundstage

Considering that the rear end of the headphone driver is fully exposed, CAL.1H's soundstage width doesn't come off as surprising. However, what's more interesting is how intimate it sounds. It's not airy as you would imagine it would be, instead it it has an intimate central presentation. So, the middle position is forward in a way, while elements panned to the outside go far out. "Hey You" by Pink Floyd features guitar strums that are audibly seperated from vocals. The vocals sit in the middle, while the guitar strums sit on the outside. It is not as though they are panned extreme far apart, instead, they are panned in a way that gives the mix a 3D-like presentation. Another great track is Rare Bird's "As Your Mind Flies". The farthest point I caught was 20-30cm outside of the ear-cups, which is exceptionally wide. Even in King Crimson's "Epitapth (including “March for No Reason” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow”)” you can hear the elements varying in how far out they sit in the mix.

Conclusion​

Kaldas Research made an impressive entrance in the headphones market with its RR1 Conquest, but who would’ve thought that Aumkar would open a second company and do it all over again? This time Aumkar came out with a ‘humble’ dynamic driver headphone. As has already been said by himself, it’s an honest take on a dynamic headphone. However, Altiat is breaking new grounds with the level of customization it is offering.

CAL.1H is a sculpture of its own, there’s no other way about it. Whatever design language Aumkar speaks, it isn’t from this Earth. Sonically, it’s a mellow-sounding headphone that will [physically] last you a lifetime. You can listen to it for hours upon hours without ever having to worry about fatigue. There isn't more of a fitting profile than that of someone who is looking for a warm headphone that still retains life in music. If you’re a gamer too, then I’ve got good news for you. These are the only third pair of headphones that I found to be listenable and suitable for gaming. Besides the Sennheiser HD598 and the Dekoni Audio Blue, I found all my other audiophile headphones to make the gunshots sound unbearably harsh.

Mind you, I’ve been unfair to the CAL.1H from the start. I put it to the test as a $1000 headphone instead of a $450 headphone that it is. I was confident it could withstand it, hence why there was not one bit of criticism that I spared it from. At the base price of only $399—a bargain—you have enough room to play around with the headphones to make them suit your taste.

Aumkar Chandan is on the path to become the most promising upcoming figure in the industry. Technically, he has only been in the industry for 3 years, yet he proves that the sky is the limit as he continues to break all norms. This is what happens when you have a progressive mind that does something out of pure passion. Also, let’s not forget that Aumkar’s primary source of income is from contract manufacturing and R&D. If he were to shift 100% of his focus to his audio business(es) and were to have greater financial resources at his disposal, I firmly believe he would go on to be among the biggest names in the industry. There’s still a lifetime ahead of him, so it’s not out of question for it to come true. This said, I hope he continues to push the boundaries and chase perfection!

I was given an opportunity to purchase a new open back headphone from Kaldas, the makers of the Conquest RR1 electrostatic headphone. I had purchased the RR1 a few years ago and it was my gateway to Electrostatic headphones. So when they reached out about a new open back dynamic driver headphone I was very interested.

The CAL.1H is a dynamic driver headphone that is fairly easy to drive, any dap should work fine, that holds pretty close to the Harman target. It has a very open sound stage without any real harshness at all. Smooth would be a good discription. Frequency graphs can be found on their website. altiat.comGraphs direct link is altiat.com/pages/alcantara-vs-velour-for-the-cal-1h.

These are really well built headphones. Available is several colors that I think sets them apart from many mid-fi headphones. I found they play really well with modern genres such as pop, EDM, or hip hop. I prefer a little more treble energy for classic rock and such, but they do offer two different pad options so that may help based on preference. I went with the alcantara pads which are very comfortable. A variety of choices are available for the cables. The cables are a little stiff, but at the price point of $399 I think they are in line with others in this range.

I went with the Orange color way and the pictures really don't do them justice. The finish is a matte that avoids smudges and fingerprints. The head strap is a simple leather that actually works rather well. They aren't the lightest headphone but not Audeze heavy either. I have no problem wearing them for hours. The adjustment mechanism is also simple but effective. Should hold up for a long time.

Sound wise these have a very pleasant tuning that leans towards the warm side of things. The graphs show the follow the Harman target pretty well, although I think they could use a little more treble extension. But again in its price range I would say it is competitive with the Audeze LCD1 and the Bowers and Wilkens P7 I had on hand to compare. I was also surprised that they did scale rather well with better amplification. Usually headphones at this level don't change much with better sources. In a way it reminded me of the HD650 in its ability to scale.

In short, if your looking for something a little different, that plays well with modern music, you should give the CAL.1H a try. Their website has a lot more information so give it a look. I think it does for dynamic drivers what the RR1 did for electrostatic drivers, a high value gateway to audiophile sound.