Tubes in a Bluetooth Headphone? Écoute TH1 Headphone Evaluation

Sure, you learn the title appropriately: and no, it is not clickbait. There is a new Bluetooth headphone available on the market that has built-in vacuum tube know-how in its wi-fi listening. It is a certainly one of form headphone right here in 2025, and you’ve got Écoute audio to thank for it. The TH1 Vacuum Tube Bluetooth Headphone is an all-new listening expertise that has piqued curiosity right here at Audio46. However how does it sound? Is it an excessive amount of for one headphone? Is it definitely worth the $899 value level? We will dive into all the main points proper right here on this assessment. 

Let’s begin this assessment with the fundamentals. How do the headphones look? The TH1 headphones are a smooth headphone that is available in two totally different colours: black and silver. Each have the identical primary construct, with reminiscence foam ear cushions and an aluminum shell. The fabric is vulnerable to fingerprints, in order that’s one thing to look out for when utilizing it. The ear cups are pretty massive and match fully over the ear. The headphone can lie flat on a desk, nevertheless it turns upwards whenever you put on it round your neck. Total, the headphone is snug to put on regardless of being a bit heavier than most. You may modify the headphones fairly effectively to have a really perfect match. 

Within the TH1’s design, you’ve gotten buttons on the suitable facet for energy, noise cancellation, and play/pause. The left facet has a small show window that lights as much as showcase the vacuum tubes. This characteristic makes the TH1 extra delicate than most, for the reason that know-how inside is extra fragile and desires cautious upkeep. 

The TH1 has a number of options that make it stand out from the gang. To start, let’s focus on the vacuum tubes. Regardless of in the event you pay attention by way of Bluetooth, digital USB-C wired, or analog 3.5mm, you get the identical sign path. The sound passes by the tube preamp after which a dual-mono amp proper to your ears. There is no particular characteristic it is advisable activate to get the tube amplifier; you simply flip it on and start to pay attention. Écoute advises being cautious when listening at louder volumes, because the tubes are delicate and may be broken if overpowered for lengthy durations of time. The TH1 solely has about 20 hours of playtime, so it’s a bit lower than your customary Bluetooth headphone. 

This headphone can be geared up with lively noise cancellation, so you may actually focus in your music. The TH1 would not have notably sturdy noise cancellation, and whereas I used to be listening, there was noticeable noise when the ANC was activated. The transparency mode was extremely efficient and allowed me to be extra conscious of my environment. I did recognize the truth that I may flip off the noise cancellation fully and simply use the TH1 with passive isolation. 

Écoute Audio additionally has a companion app for sound personalization. There are a lot of presets to select from, each for musical genres and extra actual EQ curves. They’ve a preset for the Harmon curve, bass enhance, speech targeted, and extra. This sound customization permits you to pay attention precisely how you want, with out compromising the kind of know-how you employ. The app was straightforward and intuitive to make use of, setting you up with primary particulars and retaining any additions straightforward to search out. 

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

One factor I’ll undoubtedly applaud on the TH1 is the extensive soundstage. For a closed-back, ANC listening expertise, the soundstage was impressively extensive and expanded horizontally exceptionally effectively. It made parts really separate within the signature, however nonetheless cohesive to not sound drastically far aside. The TH1’s midrange suffered from this width generally, because it sounded as if it was stretched too far and did not ever settle in the midst of the sphere. This made the peak missing within the copy, however depth was nonetheless very current for all genres. The loudness of the entire signature was pretty spectacular, although, as talked about earlier, quantity ought to be fastidiously monitored when utilizing these headphones. 

The signature as an entire is certainly U-shaped. The TH1 has a mid-range that tends to sound hole and overly skinny, making the remainder of the observe sound very totally different than what you may count on. The treble was sharp and exact, and the lows have been punchy and had good depth. The sound copy within the TH1 is extra dynamic than it’s impartial, so I might undoubtedly not suggest it for these in search of a reference headphone. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

The low finish is definitely fairly highly effective within the TH1. It’s thick and takes up a whole lot of house within the low finish, so you are not left with a skinny layer as your basis. That is the vary that the vacuum tubes come by essentially the most, and it provides the TH1 a sure pure heat that’s exhausting to recreate in different headphones. Low-end devices weren’t precisely pure in sound copy; they did have a whole lot of energy to make them extra noticeable than different ranges. It was good to not need to seek for the low-end readability, and the ANC solely accentuated its impression versus washing it out. I appreciated how the bass took up loads of house within the low finish, permitting for a very good basis for different frequencies. The vacuum tube know-how within the TH1 stored this vary heat and welcoming, good for bass-heavy genres. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The primary a part of a whole lot of tracks comes from the midrange, and the TH1 had a midrange that was very distinctive. The TH1’s midrange sat behind most different frequencies, taking up a really hidden high quality that made you hunt for these melodic devices. Vocals that ought to have been entrance and heart have been as an alternative pushed again and stretched out throughout the soundstage. This placement made your complete vary sound skinny and hole. Whereas depth was considerably misplaced within the midrange, the timbres of the devices remained comparatively true and distinct. There was sufficient separation of devices to make a transparent image of ensembles and orchestras. 

Personally, the midrange is what turned me away from the TH1. Whereas the bass carried out effectively and the tube know-how inside is an enchanting characteristic, the midrange didn’t reproduce sound that was good for my ears. Nevertheless, I will not knock the TH1’s midrange fully; sure genres and tracks do effectively with a recessed midrange. Extra orchestral works with harsher dynamics have been reproduced exceptionally effectively. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

The excessive finish was very vibrant. In context with a really heat low finish and recessed midrange, the treble within the TH1 was very piercing and sharp in its element. I used to be undoubtedly a fan of how this treble response balanced the thick low finish, particularly the best way it cuts in to offer extra distinct separation between devices. The readability and element on this vary have been distinctive, with excessive strings and horns filling the house simply and delivering simply sufficient punchiness so it would not lean too sharp. Even with all of the element, the treble remained gentle and did not get weighed down by different parts. The highest finish did not invite a whole lot of house, so there was a noticeable shelf the place frequencies reached proper earlier than they reduce off. Nonetheless, with the depth this headphone provides, you’ll be able to get a good image of these excessive frequencies with out worrying about lacking top. 

The TH1 joins the lineup of Bluetooth headphones which have already made a reputation for themselves. Sony, Sennheiser, Focal, Dali: all of those manufacturers are already very fashionable and could be exhausting to exchange. So how does the TH1 examine to the opposite manufacturers?

At an identical value level, the TH1 is most much like the Dali IO-8. They arrive with a really comparable value level, and I discovered myself preferring the TH1 over the IO-8. The IO-8 has a narrower soundstage and a signature that does not have distinct separation. The mids are extra current, however nonetheless have a muddy high quality versus the element coming from the TH1. The vocals have been much less compressed, and the sound was total wider within the soundstage. Nevertheless, the TH1 cannot beat the Dali IO-12, which excels in its element and midrange forwardness. The TH1 has a hollower sound than the fullness of the Dali IO-12.

In the identical vein, the Focal Bathys MG could be the subsequent step up from the TH1. As somebody who loves the Focal Bathys MG, I knew they might be robust to beat. The Bathys MG ended up having the identical variations to the TH1 because the Dali IO-12. There was extra readability and precision within the midrange, which was pulled ahead to be the principle characteristic within the Bathys MG. The TH1 was just a bit too stretched out and recessed to have a aggressive midrange, nevertheless it does provide a good different to business choices. 

The Écoute Audio TH1 is a really distinctive Bluetooth headphone that’s undoubtedly price attempting. It breaks boundaries in audiophile know-how and how one can take heed to your music. Be warned: this headphone’s sound signature will not be for everybody. For these in search of dynamic and heat headphones that do not deal with the midrange, the TH1 is a wonderful improve to think about. For pop and extra singer-songwriter-type tracks, it’s possible you’ll wish to give a very good pay attention earlier than pulling the set off on them. The vacuum tube know-how alone is sufficient motive to take a look at the TH1 and see in the event you ought to add it to your assortment.

The Écoute Audio TH1 is on the market right this moment at Audio46.