From crowd-favorite budget IEMs to full-size wallet busters, we look at what the year 2024 has brought us so far.
So far, the year 2024 has been pretty fruitful when it comes to personal audio.
Many of the old-guard companies have broken their silence and released promising headphones as well as IEMs.
The trend of reviewer collaborations is still strong however for the first time we have a full homegrown product without the assistance of established outside manufacturers. Overall the public seems to have a bit of collab-fatigue as some of the releases like the Crinacle Singolo were flops.
However, there are still a few models that stand out for good reasons. I’m not talking about futuristic headphone concepts (like in our featured image) here. No, these are real-deal headphones you can get your hands on right now.
Name | Type | Connection | Drivers | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
DMS Omega | Over-ear, open-back | Wired | Dynamic | Buy |
MOONDROP x Crinacle DUSK | In-ear, closed-back | Wired | Dynamic, balanced armature, planar | Buy |
Sennheiser HD620S | Over-ear, closed-back | Wired | Dynamic | Buy |
HiFiMan Susvara Unveiled | Over-ear, open-back | Wired | Planar | Buy |
ZMF Caldera Closed | Over-ear, closed-back | Wired | Planar | Buy |
Focal Hadenys | Over-ear, open-back | Wired | Dynamic | Buy |
Focal Azurys | Over-ear, closed-back | Wired | Dynamic | Buy |
Edifier Stax Spirit S5 | Over-ear, closed-back | Wired | Planar | Buy |
Meze Audio LIRIC 2nd Generation | Over-ear, closed-back | Wired | Planar | Buy |
Truthear Gate | In-ear, closed-back | Wired | Dynamic | Buy |
Hisenior Mega5 EST | In-ear, closed-back | Wired | Dynamic, balanced armature, electret | Buy |
Meze Audio Alba | In-ear, closed-back | Wired | Dynamic | Buy |
HEDD Heddphone Two | Over-ear, open-back | Wired | Air-motion transformer | Buy |
DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci | In-ear, closed-back | Wired | Dynamic, balanced armature | Buy |
RAAL 1995 Immanis | Over-ear, open-back | Wired | True Ribbon | Buy |
DMS Omega
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, open-back
- Driver Type(s): 50mm dynamic
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
“This headphone is my love letter to audio,” said DMS, a long-time personal audio YouTuber. The rather curious-looking open-back headphones are interesting in that they’re not a collaboration. Rather DMS has done the design work and manufacturing to bring an actual product to market on his own.
The performance promise behind the Omega is simple – everything must work towards achieving the optimum frequency response according to DMS. That’s also the reason why the Omega sports rather divisive looks – it’s manufactured mostly by 3D printing, and everything is designed to get the best out of the 50mm dynamic driver.
Where to buy
MOONDROP x Crinacle DUSK
- Connection: Wired
- Type: In-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): 2x dynamic, 2x balanced armature, 2x planar
- Impedance: 14.5 Ω
- Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 24 kHz
After the Moondrop Blessing 3 which has traditionally been one of the more neutral offerings in the IEM space came the long wait for Crinacle to do his own twist on it. After all, the Blessing 2 Dusk is widely acknowledged as the superior sounding option compared to the vanilla Moondrop Blessing 2.
The “Blessing” moniker has been dropped with Crin’s tuning hopefully being enough of a blessing. For the first time, Dusk are a tribrid with planar drivers handling the highs. With that said, some already have expressed concern about the choice of using a USB-C DSP cable to achieve the intended frequency response.
Where to buy
Sennheiser HD620S
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): 42mm dynamic
- Impedance: 150 Ω
- Frequency Response: 6 Hz – 30 kHz
Closed-back Sennheiser HD650 have long been the dream headphones of many enthusiasts. Are the HD620S it? Not according to initial reviews but supposedly it’s a decent entry into the audiophile closed-back headphone niche.
The high-ish 150 ohm impedance means that the HD620S should also run fine with OTL tube amplifiers which is a rarity for closed-back headphones. Just make sure to have your listening position well-ventilated as the closed back capsules will trap heat and can make for a sweaty listening session.
Where to buy
HiFiMan Susvara Unveiled
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, open-back
- Driver Type(s): Planar magnetic
- Impedance: 45 Ω
- Frequency Response: 6 Hz – 75 kHz
HiFiMan’s latest Susvara iteration is turning heads with its bold design choice and eye-watering price tag.
The SUSVARA UNVEILED does exactly what it says on the tin – it ditches the traditional metal grill. This daring move aims to reduce sound wave reflections, potentially unleashing new levels of audio clarity.
But, of course, HiFiMan didn’t just take the old Susvaras and removed the metal grill. They also upgraded the drivers to make them just nanometer-thick for heightened sensitivity and nuanced reproduction.
The headphones also use HiFiMan’s Stealth Magnet technology and a silver conductor layer. Together, these promise to help you hear subtle sounds you’ve missed before.
At $8,000, it’s certainly not for the faint of wallet. But for those who are curious enough and have some cash to spare, these are definitely worth a try.
Where to buy
ZMF Caldera Closed
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): planar
- Impedance: 60 Ω
- Frequency Response: unspecified
Do ya like wood? You’re in luck then – headphone luthier extraordinaire and expert tone tuner Zachary Mehrbach from ZMF has come out with his woodiest offering yet – the closed-back version of the brand’s planar flagship the Caldera. Designed with an agreeable Harmanesque tuning, the Caldera Closed promises to be a feast for both the eyes and ears.
If your wallet can accommodate the Caldera Closed, be sure to maybe do some neck strength training as the combination of planar drivers and wooden earcups brings the total weight of the Caldera Closed to over 500 grams. The 60-ohm load also means that driving the beauty is best relegated to solid-state amps or transformer-coupled tubes.
Where to buy
Focal Hadenys
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, open-back
- Driver Type(s): 40mm dynamic
- Impedance: 26 Ω
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 22 kHz
The French masters of the metal diaphragm headphones Focal have released their most affordable wired open-back yet. Built up to their luxury standards, the Hadenys open-backs use the same aluminum-magnesium alloy driver as the wireless Bathys.
Designed to be driven by just about anything out there the Hadenys are a great entry into Focal house sound.
While the build quality is, as always, very high the brown colorway can be polarising. Also, it might be worth inquiring how much is a pair of spare pads – in the past pad swaps for Focal headphones have been costly.
Where to buy
Focal Azurys
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, open-back
- Driver Type(s): 40mm dynamic
- Impedance: 26 Ω
- Frequency Response: 15 Hz – 22 kHz
The sister release to the Hadenys, the Azurys are their closed-back sibling.
With the same 40mm aluminum-magnesium diaphragm driver, the Azurys are Focal’s entry-level closed-back. Priced a tad higher than the Hadenys, it’s arguably the more interesting offering due to there being a lack of good closed-back headphones on the market.
This time around the azure colorway will likely prove to be even more of a head-turner than the more subdued brown on the Hadenys.
At the same time, if Headephones.com measurements are to be trusted, the tuning is great for a closed-back and should satisfy most listeners.
Where to buy
Edifier Stax Spirit S5
- Connection: Wireless
- Type: Over-ear
- Driver Type(s): Planar magnetic
- Impedance: Not specified
- Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 40 kHz
Edifier’s STAX SPIRIT S5 are in the running for the best wireless headphones ever, if you don’t mind not having ANC.
These headphones target the life-long problems most of us have against wireless headphones. This is all thanks to:
- The latest Bluetooth technology that supports wireless lossless transmission
- Planar magnetic drivers that you won’t usually see on Bluetooth headphones
- And an 80-hour battery life
But that’s not all. They also added a secret sauce called “Edifier’s 2nd generation EqualMass™ wiring technology” to make sure the magnetic force is distributed evenly across the driver’s diaphragm. In theory, this should lead to more accurate sound reproduction and minimal harmonic distortion.
Where to buy
Meze Audio LIRIC 2nd Generation
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): Planar magnetic (Rinaro Isodynamic Hybrid Array® MZ4)
- Impedance: 61 Ω
- Frequency Response: 4 Hz – 92 kHz
Meze Audio’s 2nd Generation LIRIC are trying to outdo their predecessors.
These closed-back headphones use the same drivers as the original, but with a new twist. They’ve added something called a Quarter Wavelength Resonator Mask (QWRM). This is supposed to smooth out high frequencies, which could make long listening sessions more enjoyable.
Plus, as expected with Meze Audio, the LIRIC 2nd Gen also have a pretty appealing style.
The earpads are magnetic and removable, making them easy to clean or replace. And, the earcups are made of striped ebony wood, which looks fancy and should last a long time.
Where to buy
Truthear Gate
- Connection: Wired
- Type: In-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): 10mm dynamic
- Impedance: 28 Ω
- Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 45 kHz
A successor to the well-received Truthear Hola, the Gate continues the ultra-affordable neutral-tuned IEM bloodline. Equipped with a 10mm carbon-composite driver, the Gate employs a very similar acoustic formula to its predecessor.
I’m quite sure that there will be very little to be upset about the Gate for the price. However, as is the case with these well-measuring IEMs, there will be those proclaiming that the Gate trounces IEM many times its price point.
While in some cases it might be the case, do try to keep a cool head and open mind!
Where to buy
Hisenior Mega5 EST
- Connection: Wired
- Type: In-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): 1x dynamic, 2x balanced armature, 2x electret
- Impedance: 28 Ω
- Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 45 kHz
While initially, the Mega5 EST flew under most radars, the IEMs blew up after a glowing review by DMS who claimed to “like them more than headphones”. On paper, the Mega5 EST look like a good deal with a 4-way crossover and electret high-frequency drivers.
And, according to our senior reviewer Eric, they deliver the goods!
Not only do the Mega5 EST offer that ethereal electret bass at an affordable price point, but the overall tuning is very hard to fault. Some might expect more zing from the electret drivers you’d have to go far up in price to get it.
Overall the Mega5 EST is an easy recommendation for those looking for a neutral pair of IEMs.
Where to buy
Meze Audio Alba
- Connection: Wired
- Type: In-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): 10.8mm dynamic
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Frequency Response: 15 Hz – 25 kHz
Alba are the most affordable entry into the Romanian headphone specialist Meze Audio stable of offerings. The IEMs use a single almost-11mm dynamic driver in a ported earshell. As is tradition with Meze headphones, Alba also sport a rather striking design with porcelain-looking white earshells.
Despite being mostly known by their exquisite full-size headphones, Alba aren’t Meze’s first tango with the IEM format. In 2022 they came out with a more upmarket offering the Advar and I’m glad to report that the Alba at the very least don’t look out of place besides it.
Where to buy
HEDD Heddphone Two
- Connection: Wired
- Type: Over-ear, open-back
- Driver Type(s): Air-motion transformer
- Impedance: 41 Ω
- Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 40 kHz
Previously known by their work in the studio monitor space, the German audio company HEDD shook the headphone community by releasing the Heddphone – a full-size offering that uses an air-motion transformer for a driver. That was in 2020 and four years later we have the improved Heddphone Two.
Sporting not only an improved AMT driver, the Heddphone Two overhauls one of the more serious drawbacks of its predecessor – ergonomics. The weight has shrunk from 780g to “mere” 550g and a very comfy suspension-type headband has been added. And reportedly the sound has been improved as well!
Where to buy
DUNU x Gizaudio DaVinci
- Connection: Wired
- Type: In-ear, closed-back
- Driver Type(s): 2x dynamic, 4x balanced armature
- Impedance: 35 Ω
- Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
A collaboration between the IEM specialist DUNU and the Gizaudio reviewer collective, the DaVinci seems like a pretty straightforward hybrid, at least on the surface. With two dynamic bass drivers in 10mm and 8mm sizes and four balanced armature drivers, the DaVinci uses the crossover to set itself apart.
Despite using two types of drivers, the filtering divides the incoming signal into five bands. Furthermore, each band also uses a separate acoustic output tube to deliver the sonic goodies. The first impressions from reviewers are promising praising the tuning of the DaVinci.
Where to buy
RAAL 1995 Immanis
If the RAAL 1995 Immanis were a car, it would be a high-performance sports car with the engine of a muscle car.
These headphones take RAAL’s already impressive ribbon driver technology and crank it up to eleven with a triple ribbon motor system.
The result? Bass that digs deep, dynamics that’ll make your head spin, and a soundstage wider than the Grand Canyon.
To make it even better, the Immanis also look as high-end as their price suggests. They are made with a combination of glass fiber, aluminum, and walnut wood. So, they just stand out on their own even before you actually wear them.