Austrian Audio Composer

Austrian Audio Composer

A Great Take on the High End



Opening
Austrian Audio Composer is the newest headphone from the company. The guys previously from AKG were well known for the Microphone before they started making high end headphones. The composer is their take on what it means to make a great headphone for both audiophile but also professionals. How does it fare compared to similarly priced competitors in this high end market.

Video Review:


Specs
Sensitivity: 112 dBspl/V
Impedance: 22 ohms
Driver Size: 49mm
Weight: 385g
Frequency Response: 5-40 kHz
THD: <0.1% (1kHz)

Rating
Tonality: 8/10
Technicality: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Build: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5

Total: 34.5/40

Note:
This is a loaner set from JABEN Singapore. However all opinions are mine and not reviewed by them before posting.

TLDR:
This is like a better HD800s, all sparkly, big sounding and highly detailed. However they did not give up on the bass or body of the mids, providing a good amount of both while also reducing sibilance compared HD800s. Overall this is a neutral bright headphone that is less offensive to most and overall still exciting and large sounding. A perfect headphone for upgrade from the HD800s



Introduction
The Composer is a dynamic headphone meant for both listeners and professionals. It has a sound that most can probably pick up and straight away get in the groove of listening and enjoying. All this in a package that is surprisingly light and easy to wear. On first impression, Austrian audio has taken great lengths to address things like comfort, connectivity and ease of drive. The most important question to answer is, does it sound good?

Build Quality
The build quality of the composer is both great and very practical. The material used is a mix of metal and fabric with some plastic. The weight of the headphone is kept below 400g. Adjustment is limited to only the headbands, which can be changed at a push of a button. This ensures the size is locked to whatever the wearer is comfortable with. The pads are nice and soft, and the cups can rest on 2 swivels which has certain amount of angle of adjustment. The best part of this headphone is that it comes with 3 cables (4.4/XLR/3.5) and they used a two pic banana plug for connection, which is both simple to use and really secure. Overall build quality is top rate, not to the insane build of Abyss, but still very well designed and built, better than most out there.



Comfort
This headphone is very comfortable to me. Weighing at about 390g, it's one the lightest high end headphones. The cable is also on the slimmer and flexible side, so it's easy to adjust and bend to what a user needs. The ear cups are large and the ear pads are soft and plush, making the headphone really easy to wear for a long hour. It also does not feel stuffy over a long period. The earcups do swivel both left right and up down , though the up down is more limited but sufficient for me. The band can be set by fixed adjustment, this allows it to hold the setting nicely. The headband has sufficient support and foam that makes it comfortable resting on the head. I do not have any complaints about comfort and will rate it one of the very best today.



Sound Quality

Song used
Suzume (RADWIMPS)
Ibara (ADO)
Yuusha (Yoasobi)
Backlight (ADO)
Witch from Mercury (Takashi Ohmama)
Shatter Me (feat Lizzy Hale)
Ultima (FF14 Soundtrack)
Comet (Cover by Ari Anjou)
Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse (May’n)
Gira Gira (ADO)

Tonality
Neutral with a slight touch of brightness. It has a slightly forward mids with a very slight emphasis on the higher frequencies. It has an overall airy sound while still maintaining a good amount of bass and body.

Clarity and Detail
The clarity is very good. Details naturally pop out while listening but never overemphasized. The small little tinkling sound in Gira Gira was clear as day but never drawing attention to itself. Clarity was also great, there was never a time that swapping it to another headphone will give it a muddier feel. However both of these characteristics do not make it an overly analytical headphone, as the composer does not want you to focus on them, but on the overall signature of the sound which was still really enjoyable.

Soundstage
Sound stage will be more of a focus with a large spread type of sound stage. The size is comparable to the atrium open width wise. They also have some updown differences though not as dramatic. There is however very little depth as things don’t appear in front of you much. You can imagine their sound stage more of a halo rather than a bubble. This is quite obvious in soundtracks like ULTIMA and Witch from Mercury, where the sounds go around you like a halo but never in front. Vocals from songs by ADO felt like the vocals are at the forehead instead of infront of the face.

Separation and Positioning
Separation is very good. Instruments are clearly divided and you can easily focus on each of them in songs like Unravel. In songs like Ibrara where there is plenty of background instruments and even backing voices everything is well separated and vocals still push through with no effort. However positioning is a little more limited as they tend to be closer and around the head, and are not as pinpoint as something like ZMF Verite Close. The positioning goes around like a halo form and does not have position bubbles like some headphones such as CA-1A, so overall I will rate the positioning as above average but lacking layers and depth.

Bass
Bass is fast and punchy. The bass definitely is not the most in quantity and does not rattle your brain unless in very high volume. They are however very clean and punchy in songs like Ultima and Backlight. Sub bass is noticeable but not in large quantities till really loud volume. So for the bass heads, this headphone may not be for you.

Mids
The mids are on the lighter yet realistic side to me. It is kinda like performing in a open space with not much reflections. Female vocals are fantastic on the composer due to the slight brightness which makes female vocals stand out with good energy and air. This applies to also instrument in Shatter Me, where the violin is very realistically rendered with lots of energy as the violinist plays on. Ibara is a music with tons of guitars in the backing, from electric to acoustic plucking, all of them clearly and realistically rendered with the right texture. Even with all the energy in the mids, the vocals are still not shouty with good extension. Overall I love how mids are rendered here, for those songs that need that clarity and energy.

Treble
The composer has a little more treble energy then what I normally prefer. That said, it was a fine balance where I can still accept even at higher volume, with sibilance and glare still well managed. Due to its very slight elevation in treble, it is also really detailed, creating clear separation for many instruments. Cymbals crashes are well managed and never chaotic while high pitch bells have really nice decays and roll off. That said, this headphone is not for people who want tons of treble and bite, as the quantity to me is really near the edge of my tolerance, which is actually rather low after speaking to friends who listen to music.



Amplification
The composer is really easy to drive to really loud volume. With an impedance of just 22 and having a sensitivity of 112 dBspl/V, you can literally play it off anything and get it to sound decent. However amps do change the sound as you can see below.

Mass Kobo 475: I love this combination but only for shorter listening at lower volume. Bass gets tighter and punchy. It increases the sound stage and makes the overall signature a bit more airy and light, which is kinda the strength of the composer. It does lose some energy in the mids, which may make some vocal profiles a little duller to laid back. There is also a slight increase in sibilance for this amplifier. This is probably my preferred way of listening if I want the composer's original sound but at lower volume.

Woo Audio Mini Tube: This makes the sound a little thicker yet still maintaining the airy feel to it. The airy feel is lesser than the mass kobo though so the flavor is quite different here.

Enleum HPA-23RM (Voltage): This is like the halfway mark between the mass kobo and Woo Audio. Both air and body are really the middle point of the other 2 amps. It also has sibilance then both.

Enleum HPA-23RM (Current): This changes the sound of the composer. More energy, more bass, harder bass, more body, less high extension and the least sibilance. Bass becomes really tight and punchy with good sub bass. Things get less sparkly and more bassy with a good amount of body. It sounds close to modern IEM which generally have significantly more bass then headphones. I think this combination will be for those who want more energy in the lows at the sacrifice of some top end frequency. This also changes the soundstage slightly, with more dispersal in the mids but big sounding. This is a fun way of listening and I can go louder and listen longer due to less sibilance and treble energy.



Conclusion
The composer is the alternative flagship dynamic headphone for me. This is the open back dynamic if you like a lighter signature that is more airy and smooth up top. This headphone may not please everyone unlike the Atrium Open, however those that enjoy when picking it up will be constantly rewarded, providing you a top of the line technicality, energetic sound, good bass, yet with an extended and airy signature that plays great with certain genres of music and vocals. The downside are maybe how the soundstage is rendered and positioning, but those are minor issues to me compared to what it delivers. And there is always the alternative current mode on the Enleum which will satisfy my bass craving when needed.

The Composer is the new flagship from Austrian Audio. The very young company, which was founded in 2017 with a core team of former AKG employees, manufactures microphones and headphones. In the headphone sector, these have so far mostly been from the lower price segment up to a maximum of €399. This makes me all the more excited about the Composer, which has an RRP of €2500.





Long before the Composer saw the light of day, relevant forums were already reporting on a new "super headphone" from the well-known and much "appreciated" headphone guru Nomax from Austria, who has been following the development from the very beginning and, according to him, has also participated in it by testing and evaluating various pre-production models. I myself am one of those who value his opinion, because he doesn't mince his words and speaks his mind openly. His descriptions of many previous headphones largely correspond to how I heard and experienced a model in the end. So you can rely on his descriptions for the most part, at least that's how it is for me. Of course, everyone has their own personal reference in terms of tonality, but if you know it, you can get a very good idea of the headphones for which the description is written.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Thomas Halbgewachs from headphone.shop, who did everything in his power to get a review model to me as quickly as possible.

On Friday, 24th November 2023 the time had come. When the letter carrier rang, I felt like it was Christmas. So there it was, the "Composer". After months of puzzling over the supposed "super headphones", the time had come. I eagerly opened the large, flat box and unpacked the black wooden storage case. The material and appearance of this wooden case is similar to that of a Sennheiser HD820, only flatter, as the headphones are folded flat with the ear cups.

I think that in this price range, a wooden box is the most appropriate way to give this expensive item a high-quality look. I think it's just part and parcel of a product like this and I like this way of storing expensive headphones best with high-end products such as the Stax SR-009 or Abyss 1266 TC, which also come with a wooden box. That annoys me, for example, with my Utopia 2022 that you can only store it in a small case and then have to remove the cable every time because otherwise the headphones won't fit in it. Austrian Audio has solved this better. And the highlight: Yes, you can leave the cable on and still close the wooden box, that's how I like it!

The workmanship of the Composer is absolutely top class. There is absolutely nothing to complain about, right down to the smallest detail, and the product looks so high-quality and robust. You can tell from the Composer that Austrian Audio develops products for the professional sector, where headphones are not handled with kid gloves and have to survive the occasional fall. I have the feeling that the Composer has been built to last forever.

The scope of delivery includes instructions with a warranty card and three different connection cables. A short 4.4mm cable and two longer cables with 4-pin XLR and 6.35mm jack. So everything is included to operate the Composer with all conceivable sources. The cables are all very light and microphonic effects does not occure. Most of them are covered with a textile sleeve. Except from the position of the splitter to the headphone sockets. This is exactly the area where microphonic effects occur the most and the rubber sheathing prevents this completely. The plugs on the headphone side are also an innovation that has never been seen before. Double banana plugs are used here and connected in the middle of the shell. This should provide better strain relief.







The ear pads made of artificial leather with memory foam are connected to the ear cups via magnets and can be fitted in seconds. This is similar to the Abyss 1266 TC. A big advantage in my opinion. Audeze still sticks the pads on with double-sided adhesive tape, just like Ultrasone does. That doesn't have to be the case. The pads as well as the entire headphones are very comfortable. The headband is very soft and barely noticeable and the contact pressure is just right. This makes the Composer more comfortable than a Utopia 2022. Only the Susvara is even more comfortable thanks to the softer textile pads. The artificial leather on the Composer makes my ears a little warm after long periods of listening. This could perhaps be a problem in summer. However, Austrian Audio has already announced Alcantara pads that are due to be released in 2024. I think they will solve this problem. The headband can be adjusted in several stages and the next highlight of this model: even the ear cups can be rotated within 4 positions to offer the best possible comfort depending on the shape of the head. Incidentally, I set the headband to the lowest position so that the Composer fits me perfectly. I would say that my head size is around the standard. For very small head sizes, you may need to tweak the swivel mechanism of the shells to position the headband further forward or back on the skull.

To determine the sound quality, I use two of my chains for the Composer. One is the stationary chain consisting of the Topping D90SE DAC and Niimbus US4 and the other is my mobile DAP, the iBasso DX320 MAX Ti. I also test this via line out on the Niimbus US4 in comparison to the Topping D90SE. All tests are carried out with balanced cabling via 4.4mm or 4-pin XLR. I don't use the 6.35mm cable at all.




The Composer is really ultralight to drive. The Utopia 2022 is actually already a very easy headphone to drive, but with the Composer I'm about 2-3 volume levels lower with the US4 and MAX Ti than with the Utopia 2022. Most IEMs are even easier to drive, but not much is missing here. The low gain of the MAX Ti is usually sufficient. For recordings with higher dynamic range, Gain 2 is sometimes used, but more power is not necessary. I would say that any DAP in the world can easily drive the Composer.

I was excited when I pressed "Play" for the first time. The Composer is by no means a pair of headphones that "flashes" you from the very first minute. But I think that's a very good attribute. Because headphones that overemphasize something and are initially perceived as exciting turn out to be not so good in the long-term test. The first thing I noticed was this somewhat metallic shimmer in the treble and the slightly over-inflated bass range. However, after an overnight break-in phase, this problem disappeared as if by magic. However, it is also possible that the memory foam in the pads reacts to body heat and the seal changes, resulting in a different sound experience. You should wear the pads for a few minutes and start the comparison test after the "warm-up phase". I didn't do this at the beginning and always switched between the headphones without the pads reaching operating temperature.

Tonally, the Composer is a bright, neutral headphone with a perfect frequency response that doesn't give the impression of overemphasizing or masking anything in any area. At no point during the test did I feel the urge to pull out an EQ. How would I compare the tonality to other headphones or what sounds similar? In fact, the first thing that comes to mind is an LCD-5, which performs similarly to the Composer with corrected frequency response. However, the timbre planar magnetic vs. dynamic is still somewhat different. The Composer also has many parallels to the electrostats. On the one hand, there is this incredible wealth of detail and the airiness in the presentation that is always associated with electrostats. I can well imagine that in a blind test of the Composer, you might initially mistake it for an electrostat. In the IEM range, I can only think of a FIBAE 7U for this tuning. However, the Composer largely has the tuning of the 7U paired with the more powerful impact that only a DD can achieve in the bass with IEMs. The Composer reproduces the DAC's signal 1:1 and I can imagine that a source that is too bright could be a bit "too much" here, such as an iBasso DX90. The DX320 MAX Ti is a dream with the Composer, as the ingenious, slightly warmer timbres of the iBasso really come into their own here. From my last DAPs, I can well imagine that an iBasso DX320, Shanling M8 and FiiO M17 are also very good playing partners for the Composer, as they are not too brightly timbred.

So neutral = boring and sober? It's not that simple. What's boring is the fact that it doesn't "flash" right from the start, like a 1266 TC in the bass range or a Multiverse Mentor in the mids, for example. A Susvara doesn't "flash" you immediately either. The Utopia 2022 with its Dynamic Impact does. If you listen to the Composer for a longer period of time, you come to the conclusion that it combines all the good attributes of the other headphones in one, but without one of the attributes playing a key role and you being immediately taken with it.

Let's start with the bass range. The Composer is ultra-linear, right down to the deepest bass. I've never heard a dynamic speaker that can reproduce so much level in the low bass and with such cleanliness! You usually only hear that with planar magnetic headphones. It can also kick and how! When the recording calls for it, such as with Haken's Atlas Stone, it fires off like a cannon. Clear, fast and precise. A Utopia 2022 has a little more noticeable impact in the mid-bass, as it doesn't have quite the same volume in the low bass as the Composer. I can't really say which of the two basses is faster, because the brighter tuning of the Composer makes it seem a little faster. On the Niimbus, the bass range gains a little more impact, whereas on the mobile chain with the DX320 MAX Ti it is a little more spacious. However, these are largely the characteristics of the DACs used, because when I use the ROHM DACs on the Niimbus the difference is already smaller. Minimally more cleanliness and control over the entire frequency range with the Niimbus then remain. The Composer is already in top form with a DAP. This is not at all the case with other headphones such as the Susvara. With a DAP such as the DX320 MAX Ti, the Susvara loses a lot of dynamics, pressure and volume. Only on the Niimbus US4 does it reach top form. The Susvara's bass runs as straight as a candle and always has enough foundation, kick and audibility on a Niimbus. In terms of quality, I see it slightly ahead of the Composer, but the Composer is ahead in terms of quantity. It has to be, because its brighter timbre would make it sound too sharp with the same quantity of bass as the Susvara. I am of the opinion that a planar magnetic, if it is of really good quality, always has advantages in the bass range over a dynamic in terms of distortion. However, there are no corresponding measurements for the Composer here. However, we are talking about very small differences here and the Composer definitely plays in the league of the very best in the bass range.

The soundstage has already been a controversial topic in recent weeks, and I can't say that the first testers described it as small and lacking depth. This is one of the better stage representations in the over-ear headphone segment. The imaging is wider than average and the depth is also present. Since the mids have a little more fullness and the voices move slightly into the foreground, you might have the feeling that there is a lack of depth. But this is there. Above all, I like the very holographic tuning, just like a Multiverse Mentor. Everything takes place around your head and you feel like you're right in the middle of it. You can concentrate on individual sound events at any time and locate them precisely. Jazz and classical music with large orchestras is a real treat and you also have the feeling that it is presented on a large scale and that each of the instruments always has enough air to breathe and the room is not presented in a compressed way. The stage of the Composer is wider than that of the Utopia 2022, which is slightly better in terms of depth, but sounds much narrower in terms of width. The Susvara has the largest sound stage of all the headphones. Voices are more relaxed and seem more distant. It sounds smoother and not as energetic as a Utopia 2022 or Composer. The Composer has the most energetic presentation with a real forward drive. It is not a headphone for relaxed listening in the evening after a hard day's work. It demands the listener's attention at all times. If you want to let it rip with modern recordings such as rock, metal, pop and EDM, then go for the Composer! I would like to see the distortion diagram of the Composer, because I think it even beats the Utopia 2022 in terms of cleanliness. It's always difficult to test this attribute, because headphones are all tuned differently and "brighter" headphones are always perceived as "faster", even though they may not be technically better than their warmer-tuned counterparts.

The treble really tickles everything out of a recording that is there. It is an acoustic magnifying glass that leaves nothing undiscovered. Playing right on the edge so that it doesn't come across as hissy or too intrusive. It still remains gentle. The disadvantage of this resolution is, of course, that less good recordings are not colored nicely. A double-edged sword. For someone who only owns audiophile recordings and only listens to jazz or classical music, this is not too bad. Personally, I also listen to a lot of metal and the Utopia 2022 is a good alternative to the Composer, as it also reproduces poorly recorded material quite well.

With the Composer, Austrian Audio has achieved a great success and for the price of 2500€ you get a really well-made headphone with a great sound quality for which you don't have to invest another budget in expensive amplifiers. Technically, it is on a par with the Utopia 2022 and for half the price! Even if the Susvara sounds a little better overall in my opinion, you have to put the price in perspective. The Susvara together with the Niimbus is already 12,000€ (without DAC!). For the Composer, a cheaper DAP will do and then for 3000-3500€ you get a sound that is 90% as good as the Susvara + Niimbus combo. By the way, my personal copy of the Composer is already on its way to me from my trusted dealer, Heiko Boss (Audition6)! I see this energetic, fast and ultra-precise performance as a welcome change from my other headphones.