Musikmesse 2016: Avantone Pro MP1 MixPhone Headphones
Just spotted at Musikmesse, information about these headphones is slowly filtering through. With a bold look, the early signs of the specifications are equally impressive. Are these the ultimate mixing headphones?
These are apparently closed-back headphones which are very comfortable to wear. With large ear-cups covering your ears entirely, these are clearly aimed for long durations of intensive work. With their very solid build and enclosing ear-cups, presumably they should also have very good isolation properties, for both sound travelling in and out. This will presumably make the headphones suitable for studio recording & mixing, live sound scenarios and DJ’ing.
However as the name suggests, their purpose is clearly aimed at being critical mixing headphones. Mixing on headphones isn’t always everyone’s preferred way of working, but technologies such as Sonarworks headphone calibration, and Waves new NX plugin amongst others are meeting the increasing demand. As many of us need to work whilst on the move, mixing on headphones is something we can’t always avoid, and of course checking back a final mix on headphones is always advisable. Avantone Pro appear to have aimed these headphones for just this purpose, with an on-board select switch for normal stereo operation, listening back in mono, or a ‘Contoured’ mode which emphasises the mid frequencies. The contoured mode allegedly simulates their mixcubes for checking your final balance.
The initial suggestions of the MP1’s specification is also leaning towards full-range headphones aimed at mixing. For example, we believe they will have 50mm drivers which is amongst the largest found in any headphones, and a frequency response of 18Hz-25kHz. With an impedance of 16Ohms and a max power of 30mW, these should be fairly powerful even with domestic headphone outputs.
Official price and release date information isn’t clear yet, but some inside knowledge has suggested a price of 199 EUR with availability in a couple of weeks. Very promising!
Here’s a link to some un-official information posted on the Gearstutz forum.
More information will supposedly become available on Avatone Pro’s web site soon: http://www.avantonepro.com One to watch!
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