NAMM 2020 saw the official launch of Austrian Audio’s Hi-X (High Excursion) headphones in the US. Comprised of the on-ear Hi-X50 and over-the-ear Hi-X55, the highly anticipated headphones build upon Austrian Audio’s respected microphone manufacturing reputation. With a nod to its manufacturing heritage, all drivers – the very heart of the headphone – are designed and engineered by Austrian Audio.
The company’s engineer, Bernhard Pinter explains why the manufacturer’s drivers are bringing the Hi-X headphones into the forefront.
Did you know?
Austrian Audio’s measurements and listening tests have shown that 44mm is the best size for its headphones’ driver design, ensuring optimal performance by moving a lot of air, all the while eliminating any ‘wobbling’ of the diaphragm. It’s all about controlled sound – 44mm is optimal for the professional Hi-X series.
1. Why did Austrian Audio need to develop new drivers?
We didn’t want to compromise on driver performance, because this is the ‘motor’ of every pair of headphones. There are many drivers on the market, but these are mainly driven by high volume and low costs. Our driver is designed for high excursion in low cavities, with high sensitivity. Additionally, we wanted to be in control of the entire design, and our engineers have years and years of experience in this field.
2. What is unique about the Hi-X drivers?
We are using an outer magnet system with a high motor force, which produces around 1 Tesla in the air gap – which is not standard in this price range. This is not totally new, but it allows for good damping in the centre of the speaker, which is necessary in totally closed headphones.
3. What is the benefit to the user?
High sensitivity, a good low frequency response, and low L/R deviation in totally closed headphones.
4. How have the headphones been designed with comfort in mind?
On the ear pads we are looking for a very soft and comfortable foam material; we call this memory foam (or visco elastic foam). This foam adapts to the human body and makes the earcup sealed. However, this foam can be quite heavy, and our target is to have lightweight headphones. So we optimised the shape of the ear cushion and allowed a lot of space for
the outer ear, giving the headphones a very ‘open-sounding’ feel. The bowpad is large and is thinner in the middle, which makes it very comfortable – even during long listening sessions. We also aimed for a minimum clamping force on the bow for better comfort.
5. How would you describe the sound of the Hi-X range?
They are clear-sounding headphones with a rich and controlled bass – down to the lowest frequencies. They sound open, even if they are closed.
6. What were the biggest challenges in developing these technologies?
To get the headphones sealed and managed in parallel to the frequency response. The back cavity of the speaker is quite low for these type of headphones, so the tuning of the right voice coil with the diaphragm material takes a lot of effort. We ended up using a multi layer diaphragm material developed by an Austrian company – with an aluminium voice coil wire which is coated with copper to ensure the best performance.
