A - Z of Headphone Manufacturers
Feb 3, 2008 19:14:09 GMT
Post by PinkFloyd on Feb 3, 2008 19:14:09 GMT
Acutex
Makes low to mid end headphones.
Advent
Makes a few models of wireless headphones.
Aiwa
Makes a range of headphones and earphones, we have not had the opportunity to test most of their range but their budget closed models are strangely loud on the outside.
AKG
Makes a large range of headphones, anything from budget hi-fi and multimedia headphones to top of the line units like the classic K 1000. Traditionally AKG has been strong in the field of closed models intended for professional use in studios and suchlike. Their newly launched flagship AKG-K701 has already gained a strong following and is well worth auditioning if you're looking for the absolute best sound reproduction.
Altec Lansing
Makes a range of multimedia headphones intended for computer usage mostly.
American DJ
Has a range of DJ and consumer orientated models such as the DJH-150 closed model and the DJH-Superbass, a similar closed model but with bass boosting.
Antonio Precise
Makes a large range of budget and multimedia headphones.
Audio 2000's
Makes a range of headphones for semi-pro and pro applications.
Audio Technica
Has a range of headphones, many of them geared toward professional use in studios etc. For Hi-Fi use the ATH W-1000 and ATH W-5000 are well worth auditioning.
Azden
Makes a wide range of headphones, earphones and transducers, mostly sold to OEM's.
Behringer
Has a range of closed back headphones intended for semi professional or pro usage such as Djing, studios etc., while those products are not the same class as the other German designed pro-audio headphones they have retail prices that can only be described as mind boggling, they start at well under 15€ (or £10) if you shop around.
Beyer Dynamic
Makes a range of both open and closed cans, their closed models are very popular in recording studios.
Bang & Olufsen
Has a small range of some really good head and earphones but it can be a bit difficult to find info on them on their homepage.
Coby
Has a range of budget headphones, mostly intended for use with personal audio.
Coles Electroacoustics
Makes the CE127 studio headphones, these were designed by the BBC and see a lot of use there.
Dowumi
Makes an interesting range of bone conducting headphones under the Vonia name, the transducers on them do not make the air vibrate like normal headphone but rather vibrate on the chin bone to excite the Aanvil in your ear. This means you can listen to music on headphones without being subject to the hearing damage so often associated with heavy headphone use and obviously in a working situation this means you have full use of you ears even when listening to music or vize versa. Has also found a niche with secretaries and people with similar functions that need to be able to do transcriptions while they are performing other duties as well such as manning a reception desk or such.
Earhugger
Earphones, no headphones.
Ergo See --> Precide
Etymotic
Makes high end earphones.
Formost Electronic
Has a HUGE range of head and earphones available, you have probably owned a headphone from this company at one time or another since they are mostly an OEM.
Fostex
Makes a line of low impedance, closed cans intended for studio and other recording use, lighter than many other similar designs and of special note is their T20RP.
Fujicon
Has a range of headphones both intended for personal and home hi-fi.
Future Sonics
Makes skin coloured earphones called Earmonitors that are extremely small, used by TV news rooms and in similar situations were discrete monitoring if of importance.
Garwood
Manufactures "in-ear monitors" or high quality earphones intended for on stage monitoring purposes etc., also has wireless transmitters and receivers for that same purpose.
Gemini
This DJ equipment manufacturer has at the least 1 model of the closed variety.
GLI
Has a range of closed budget phones, intended for DJ use.
Grado
Makes mid to high end headphones, their cheapest models such as the SR60 and the SR80 are extremely good value and have a wonderful retro-chic (and sound), but their more expensive models such as the SR125, the SR225 and the SR325 are less convincing and not really up to the standards of the competition in terms of sound quality.
Jaytech See --> Reloop
JB Systems
Has a range of budget closed headphones intended for DJ use.
Jencklin Float See --> Precide
Jensen
Make a large range of head and earphones, mostly low end models.
JVC
Makes low and mid priced phones.
Koss
Long running headphone specialist, make anything from cheap earphones to audiophile cans. Many of their classic and more upmarket designs are closed in contrast to the better European models that are usually open.
Lake Technology
The company manufactures a rack mounted headphone processor and cans for studio monitoring of surround sound.
Ministry of Sound
Manufacture a range of headphones most are closed back designs with bass boost intended for DJ usage rather than hi-fi but a couple of their models have a respectable specification, they also have an in-ear model and a open back backband model.
Nakamichi
Has one model of a mid end headphones called SPK 300, this is a closed model initially designed for studio use but popular in Japan with department stores etc. as a demonstration model, not surprising perhaps since the company is one of the biggest manufacturer of "listening stations" or CD/DVD demonstration modules.
Numark
Has a range of closed headphones mostly intended for the DJ market.
Omnitronic
Make quite a few headphones, most of them are closed designs intended for the DJ market along with a few single-ear models and specialised foldable cans, but a few of their models are suitable for general use.
Philips
Not perhaps the first company that you think of when headphones are mentioned, but they have a wide range of designs including wireless and surround sound models, and some of their wireless models in particular can be good value. Also have been making noises about their recent Neodymium drivers that they call Clarity an can be found in the more upmarket headphones such as the HP-890.
Pioneer
Has a range of open and closed types, from budget DJ models to fairly high end hi-fi models.
Precide
Makes high end headphones under the names Ergo and Jecklin Float.
Prefer
Makes 2 models of headphones, the budget HPR-35 model and the high impedance HD-66V. More info on both models can be had here.
Reloop
Has a range of headphones intended for DJ use, mid end under their own name and budget versions under the Jaytec brand.
Sennheiser
The worlds largest manufacturer of Hi-fi headphones, has a range that goes from inexpensive lightweights all the way up to dead expensive electrostatic cans, and quality stuff to boot and usually an enormous bang for the buck. And this has been going on for more than 30 years, it must be something in the water. Anyway the company has just released a new range of low/mid price headphones including the 477 and 497 (but also some cheaper models), all parts of the headphones are user replaceable like with previous 4xx models from the company, are slightly lighter than the range that it replaces (at around 130grams or so)
Singvox
Makes a large range of budget earphones and headphones both the normal and the multimedia kinds along with headsets etc.
Sony
Makes a wide range of headphones from budget earphones to top of the line studio cans in the form of the MDR-7509, the professional studio models have been manufactured unchanged for a number of years and are all quite similar in outward design being closed back models but vary enormously in price and specifications, the cheapest model is the MDR-7502 taht typically only retails for USD 50 or so but has specification more in line with something that you get free with your cassette walkman and is probably better suited for undemanding usage such as DJ work than for monitoring, the MDR-7505 is much more like it but it should be noted that the RRP for that model is USD115 (retail prices are lower though) but for only 15USD more you can get the MDR-7506 that not only sounds better despite having a very similar 40mm diaphragm (but constructed somewhat differently leading to a different response characteristics) but is also sturdier, foldable and is shipped with a case, definitely worth the small extra outlay, the 7505 is actually an old DJ model from Sony that has been redressed in a black livery to match the rest of the professional line which explains why it is the only 7xxx model to feature swivelling. The aforementioned 7509 sounds much better than the next model below it but then again is twice the price but as one of the best sounding closed back models out there is worthy of an audition if you are in the market for a mid/high end pro headphones, you can find more information on the MDR-7500 here, on the MDR-7506 here, the MDR-7505 here and the MDR-7502 here. Some of the more interesting models from Sony are the noise cancelling models. For movie fans the company also makes one model of Virtual dolby sourround headphone system.
Specialthing
Has a range of budget headphones.
Stanton Magnetics
Has a fairly big range of models, all are of the closed variety and are intended for DJ use, but a few models are generic enough to be of use with a normal hi-fi or portable.
Stax
Makes some of the best headphones in the world and is the company that invented the electrostatic headphone in 1960 with the SR-1 model after having been making electrostatic loudspeaker elements for a few years, or rather the "earspeakers" as they want their products to be called, they even have an in-ear electrostatic (!!??).
Tonsil
Makes mostly budget headphones, but we have not been able to find any online information on them.
Ultrasone
Makes mid to high end headphones, one of the few headphone specialist manufacturers left in the world.
United
This budget brand is popular in Eastern Europe, makes a wide range of headphones including open, closed and quite a few wireless models.
Vestax
Has one model, a stick type 1 pad unit for DJ etc.
Vivanco
Has a range of headphones, has been getting good reviews for their recent models in the European press.
Yamaha Corp.
Apart from having a range of headphone for home and portable use the company makes one model of "monitor headphones" (studio headphones) named RH5A.