[FastAndClean]

The legendary audio gear manufacturer Quad is introducing their first planar magnetic headphone at Munich, tuned to the ESL-57 sound signature, that will be good.
https://www.whathifi.com/news/quad-teases-era-1-planar-magnetic-headphones

https://www.facebook.com/quadhifi/videos/1422898891148103/

 

[XERO1]

 

[RatFarm]

Looking forward to hearing more about this headphone. Good to have some more options in the planar world.

 

[PhilW]

The sound is super nice! Think planar Focal Clear and you are pretty much there.

 

[xenithon]

Hi Phil. Have you heard one already? And if so, a production model or the prototype that was at the Bristol show?

Cheers

 

[XERO1]

Any idea about price range?

 

[xenithon]

Any idea about price range?

It is £599 I believe

 

[PhilW]

Was it at the Bristol Sound and Vision show? I didn't know

Yeah £599 is the price but ETA is still speculative.

 

[XERO1]

Yeah £599 is the price but ETA is still speculative.

So they should come in under $1000. Not cheap, but nothing too insane. Looking forward to hearing these!

 

[Arthur Li]

Surprisingly Quad doesn't make an e-stat...

 

[SHAMuuu]

The cups look nice, but not a fan of the yokes/headband.

One looks, TOTL'ish ...the cups that is,

the yokes low-fi ish

the headband mid-fi ish

...ofc te sound matters most at the end, i would wear a watermelon shaped can if it produced Audio Nirvana

 

[LaCuffia]

No reviews or impressions yet from the Munich high end show. Anybody hear it?

 

[Beagle]

Any more news on a release date? The silence is deafening.

 

[LaCuffia]

Audio Sanctuary UK lists tentative release date as June 18th. They were at the Munich show last month but I've seen no reviews.

With Quad engineering behind it, this could be something pretty great. It's under $1K too. Imagine if Focal released a planar? They would probably go for $6K plus.

 

[Beagle]

Looks like I'll be the guinea pig.