Quick Summary
Audiophile brand Shanling has introduced its first pair of over-ear headphones and has really pushed the boat out on specs.
The HW600 pair sport planar magnetic drivers, Hi-Res Audio certification and aircraft-grade aluminium in their construction.
You might not be familiar with audio brand Shanling but that's about to change – the company has introduced its first full-size headphones and they tick all the boxes to be taken seriously. Could even take their place among the very best headphones around.
Designed for true audiophiles, the Shanling HW600 open-backed over-ears feature oversized 86 x 110mm planar diaphragms, made from ultra-thin 8μm polymer materials, and are built using aircraft-grade 7xxx aluminium for durability.
They are also Hi-Res Audio certified, with a frequency range of 12 - 40kHz to playback high fidelity audio across extreme lows to the loftiest bands.
There are 14 neodymium-iron-boron magnets in the drivers, in a dual-sided magnet assembly. This can reach a magnetic flux density of 1.8T and allows for precise control from multiple sources, including high-end amps.
There are super soft lamb's leather ear pads for comfort, even over prolonged listening sessions, and high-density memory foam also ensures an isolated fit to better prevent ambient audio leakage.
Each ear cup also features a three-axis swivel swivel mechanism for a perfect fit no matter the wearer.
As well as the headphones themselves, Shanling has included a 1.5-metre audiophile-standard dual 3.5mm cable, with 4.4mm balanced and 6.35mm single-ended adaptors in the box, too.
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These are wired-only headphones for the ultimate listening experience, but can be connected to any source with a physical audio output.
Shanling already has a fine heritage in the manufacture of high-end DACs and amplifiers, plus its own Hi-Res Audio players that could be an ideal match for the new headphones.
It also has its own range of audiophile-quality earbuds, both wireless and wired. The HW600 over-ears complement that lineup.
You can buy the Shanling HW600 planar over-ear headphones from the company's own online store now, They are priced at £1,099 / $1,099 / €1,099.
Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.
Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.
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