What’s sure to make waves in the planar magnetic market is a new over-ear headphone from Quad. Meet Quad ERA-1.
New Release Quad ERA-1 Headphones
Quad hails from the United Kingdom, establishing a prestigious presence in the stereo and amplifier world since 1936. Their first product being a corner speaker (called Corner Ribbon) that delivered “a particularly clear and detailed upper mid-range to treble performance from a large and delicate ribbon driver.” Their innovative sound was fine-tuned and tweaked over the years as they developed more and more products, with their most famous being the Quad ESL electrostatic loudspeaker. Now, they’ve pioneered their hifi sound in their first planar magnetic headphone, Quad ERA-1.
Quad ERA-1 is a direct result of the ESL electrostatic loudspeaker. As the British company stated, “We’ve drawn upon our expertise with electrostatic loudspeakers to design our outstanding planar film headphones, the Quad ERA-1.” This planar magnetic headphone is said to provide sound that is fast, open, and transparent thanks to patented technology that allows the drivers to reach an extended frequency response with ease. As What Hi-Fi explains, the driver consists of “an ultra-thin, electrically active diaphragm which is thinner than a human hair.” Nice! While this headphone is quite high-fidelity, it has been specially designed for use with a number of different devices thanks to a low impedance and high-sensitivity.
As for looks, Quad ERA-1 possesses a luxe, chiseled frame. The ear cups are that of a dark steel-colored grill. The ear cups are available in either soft leather or fleecy-layered pads. All orders include a premium, detachable cable and a durable carrying case for £600 beginning in July. That’s roughly $800 USD.
