Audeze CRBN2, the second version of the most advanced electrostatic headphones for $5,995

His The best new songs-Friday and high-end audio brand Audeze announced CRBN2the second version of the most advanced set of electrostatic headphones, which builds on its predecessor while introducing a completely new technology that the brand calls SLAM.

Founded in 2008 with a mission to “bring NASA technology to incredible high-resolution audio products,” the California-based brand is known for producing some of the best headphones available, and its latest product is no exception. WITH CRBN2, Audeze has taken all the elements that made its first model so well-regarded among audiophiles and added or improved them. For the first time, it introduced SLAM – or symmetrical linear acoustic modulator – a patent-pending technology it calls “revolutionary” and promises to deliver “unprecedented levels of transparency and bass response.” The new technology works with the headphones’ electrostatic drivers to create an incredibly immersive sound that envelops the listener, so much so that Audeze describes it as “deeply tactile”. It does this by isolating and amplifying certain low frequencies to produce incredibly clean and crisp bass, as Audeze founder and CEO Sankar Thiagasamudram said: “We have pushed the boundaries of electrostatic technology even further… to deliver the most realistic sound bass and clarity ever achieved in electrostatic headphones.

What exactly are electrostatic headphones and how do they work and sound? In short, it all depends on the transducers, which are the parts of the headphones and speakers that actually produce the sound you hear. Transducers convert electrical signals into sound waves, and most headphones have transducers that use metal coils, magnets, or both. However, the drivers used in electrostatic headphones are made of an incredibly thin foil that is statically charged and sandwiched between perforated sheets of metal that interact in a more responsive and efficient manner compared to metal coils and magnets, resulting in pure, natural sound, and distortion free. In fact, it’s a technology that was originally created for use in MRI machines, and when developing the first version of its headphones, the CRBN, Audeze partnered with the UCLA School of Medicine to create the drivers. With CRBN2, Audeze has not only introduced new SLAM technology, but also introduced its second generation of ultra-thin carbon nanotube electrostatic drivers, which it claims will deliver “the most accurate and immersive sound.”

In terms of technical specifications, the CRBN2 has a frequency response of 10 Hz to 40 kHz, weighs approximately 480 g (17 oz), and – like all electrostatic headphones – requires high voltage (580V) amplifier to work. The earpads are made of soft, premium leather, and the headband is a mix of carbon fiber and leather.

Although Audeze was acquired by Sony in 2023, Audeze continues to operate independently and continues to manufacture “each of its drivers” at its factory in Orange County, California – something it clearly states on its website. Indeed, the CRBN2 is assembled by hand and then thoroughly tested in-house by Audeze electrostatics specialists.

If you’re interested in getting your hands on the kit, you can join the official waitlist now via brand website. They are priced $5,995.