Remember the headphones with a built-in valve amp? There’s a new version with improved active noise cancellation and better protection from interference | Daily Reports Online
- Écoute unveil improved TH2 headphones
- Use valve pre-amps for analog sound
- They’re not cheap!
British audio brand Écoute — no, not French, despite the name — wowed us in January 2025 by sticking valve amps into headphones for a classy hi-fi appeal. And now it’s done it again, but apparently better.
The Écoute TH2 promise improved noise cancellation, a more comfortable fit, design tweaks to reduce chances of microphonic interference in the valves — and, most importantly, improved sound quality. The brand hasn’t changed the make-up of its cans, just made some adjustments and improvements.
The new cans use a redesigned resonance chamber to improve bass and reinforced shielding to avoid the interference with the analog valve design.
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Despite being an older form of tech, valve amps are beloved amongst audiophiles because they’re an analog form of amplification, giving a warm and natural sound while offering loads of the perks of digital amplifiers. We’ve covered it before: valve amps sound better thanks to physics.
On most hi-fi pieces of kit, valves are large and fragile, but Écoute uses the smaller and lighter NuTube 6P1, so the tubes don’t shatter as soon as you sneeze, and don’t weigh too much.
The Écoute TH2 connects via Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C and, of course, 3.5mm, and they even work with external amplifiers if you’d rather not use the tech you’re paying for.
Another perk is that you can change the EQ and it applies to the DSP, instead of overlaying a blanket change, giving you the ability to make more nuanced changes to your sound.
The catch? These aren’t showing up on our list of the best cheap headphones any time soon. They sell for $999 / £999 / AU$1,446, and that’s for the fabric band. Getting the leather option costs even more (£1,099 in the UK, and I can’t find pricing elsewhere just yet) and both go on sale in November.
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