Audio
Headphone and audio gear news — DACs, amps, drivers, and sound tech.
AUDIO Beyerdynamic's $150 DT 275 PRO Is a Monitoring Tool, Not a Toy: And Its Spec Sheet Says So
Beyerdynamic launched the closed-back DT 275 PRO today at $149.99, 45 ohms, 105 dB SPL, 195 grams, 22 dBA of passive isolation, and every wear part replaceable. It also has the narrowest stated bandwidth in the entire PRO lineup, and that tells you exactly who it's for.
AUDIO Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Wireless Looks Like a Practical ANC Era Upgrade, Not a Pure Sound Upgrade
Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM 5 Wireless launch in mid-2026 shifts priorities toward stronger ANC, replaceable battery serviceability, and codec growth, but its new tuning trade-off may leave neutral-preferring listeners reaching for EQ more often.
AUDIO Shokz OpenDots 2 and OpenDots Air Push Open-Ear Earbuds Past Bone Conduction
Shokz has launched the OpenDots 2 and OpenDots Air, two clip-on open-ear earbuds that move the brand deeper into air-conduction lifestyle audio. The interesting part is not the jewelry-like form factor, it is Shokz doubling down on dual-driver acoustic modules, directional leakage control, and battery life that now rivals sealed true-wireless sets.
AUDIO FiiO K17 R2R Pro: Ladder DAC Tech Finally Hits the Mass Market
FiiO has unveiled the K17 R2R Pro, a 5+24-bit resistor ladder DAC and headphone amp with 4,000mW balanced output, built-in streaming, and a sub-$1,000 target price, bringing genuine R2R architecture into a segment previously owned by boutique makers charging twice as much.
AUDIO Sennheiser HD 480 Pro: The Closed-Back That Finally Gets Monitoring Right
Sennheiser's new HD 480 Pro shares its 38mm drivers with the open-back HD 490 Pro but wraps them in a closed-back design engineered to actually measure flat, not just sound flat. At $399, it's directly targeting the compromise that has defined professional monitoring headphones for decades.
AUDIO Audeze's SLAM Technology Reaches $499: The Whole Lineup Gets It at AXPONA 2026
At AXPONA 2026, Audeze debuted the $499 LCD-S20, a closed-back planar magnetic with their SLAM acoustic technology, while rolling SLAM out across the LCD-5s, CRBN2, and Maxwell 2. Flagship bass physics is no longer a flagship price.
AUDIO DUNU Mortise: A $430 Open-Back with Black Walnut Cups and Carbon Fiber Drivers
DUNU enters the open-back headphone market with the Mortise, a $430 pair featuring 50mm carbon fiber dynamic drivers housed in precision-machined North American black walnut earcups.