Quick Summary
Made using Kurogaki wood, the Audio-Technica ATH-AWKG headphones look as premium as they undoubtedly sound.
They start at £3,000 / $4,200 a pair, so are very much for audio purists with an inherent sense of style.
Audio-Technica has unveiled some stunning premium headphones, the ATH-AWKG, which feature simply gorgeous earcups finished in ancient Japanese Kurogaki wood.
The wood, which is varnished and marbled in a way that makes the headphones look unlike anything else on the market, isn't just for show – Audio-Technica says it has sonic properties that will help the headphones sound phenomenal.
Kurogaki wood is persimmon wood that is heavily marbled and is a prized material in traditional Japanese manufacturing. Laquered like it is here, you get lovely black marbling, and that finish has apparently been layered on by a craftsman by hand each time.
That isn't the only luxurious element in these headphones, though - their ear cushions are also finished with sheepskin, for long-lasting smoothness, while the headband features a magnesium alloy that should prove durable.
Of course, Audio-Technica is known for its audiophile chops, and the 53mm drivers here should mean these wired headphones are ideal for home listening.
These drivers are connected using German Permendur magnetic circuitry, which apparently should result in a hugely wide and expansive sound stage, and that use of wood means the headphones are closed-back for a more enclosed listening experience.
A package as premium as this comes in one heck of a nice box, too - a storage box comes with the headphones and features more Kurogaki wood to really round out the whole look.
Unsurprisingly, this is not an entry-level set of headphones or anything close to it. Audio-Technica is selling the headphones now for £3,000 or $4,200, and while they're not explicitly labelled as being limited edition, we can't imagine it made all that many of them.
To that end, each storage box appears to be numbered to let you know which in the series you bought, and we wouldn't be surprised if these became sought-after collector's items, so impressive is the design and presentation.
So, if you've got the budget to stretch to it, and you've been on the lookout for a new pair of stunning headphones for relaxed listening at home, these might have to rocket to the top of your wish list.
