Grell Audio Pronounces New OAE2 Open-Again Headphones

Created by Axel Grell, the corporate says the Grell Audio OAE2 applies a front-oriented acoustic idea to ship a extra pure, speaker-like listening expertise. Following its preliminary launch in Germany, the OAE2 is now set to roll out throughout the US, UK, and extra worldwide markets, bringing Grell’s research-led acoustic strategy to a broader viewers. Right here’s what the press launch needed to say about these new Grell Audio cans.

Estimated studying time: 5 minutes

Grell Audio OAE2 Open-Again Headphones

Designed and engineered in Germany, the OAE2 is constructed round a transparent goal: to maneuver headphone listening nearer to the way in which we expertise sound from loudspeakers, with practical depth, placement, and scale fairly than a purely “in-head” presentation.

The OAE2 represents the clearest expression but of Grell’s design philosophy, combining long-established engineering expertise with ongoing analysis into how we really understand sound when listening on headphones.

A special place to begin for open-back design

The OAE2 shouldn’t be meant to be one other typical open-back headphone. Somewhat than putting the sound supply straight over the ear and firing sound straight into the ear canal, Grell’s design positions the acoustic output to work extra intentionally with the outer ear and the pure localization cues the mind makes use of to interpret house.

The idea relies on a easy statement: when listening to audio system, sound reaches the ear after interacting with the pinnacle, pinna and higher physique. This creates refined timing, section, and tonal cues that assist the mind decide route and distance. With the OAE2, Grell goals to protect extra of that course of in headphone listening, encouraging a soundstage that feels wider, deeper, and extra externalized.

As a substitute of exaggerated width or synthetic spatial results, the purpose is a presentation that feels secure, plausible, and nearer to nearfield displays, significantly over longer listening classes.

Axel Grell: expertise used intentionally

Axel Grell joined Sennheiser in 1991, and over the next many years turned carefully related to among the most influential headphones within the audiophile {and professional} markets, together with the HD280, HD 580, HD 600, HD 650, HD 800, and the flagship HE 1 system.

With Grell, Axel is deliberately engaged on a smaller, extra centered scale. The corporate brings collectively skilled engineers and designers with a shared purpose of exploring new approaches to headphone acoustics, fairly than following established formulation. The OAE2 represents a transparent assertion of intent: making use of many years of expertise, supported by ongoing analysis, to rethink how sound is offered by way of headphones.

This isn’t a retrospective train. Grell positions the OAE2 as a basis for future improvement, with additional fashions deliberate that construct on the identical acoustic rules throughout totally different use circumstances, together with skilled monitoring and gaming.

Analysis-led acoustics utilized to actual listening

The OAE2 mission displays Axel Grell’s long-standing curiosity in how people really hear by way of headphones. Alongside product improvement, Grell collaborates with Leibniz College Hannover to analysis spatial listening to and headphone notion, utilizing these findings to tell sensible design selections fairly than summary targets alone.

This research-led strategy shapes each the bodily structure of the OAE2 and its tuning philosophy. The result’s a headphone that prioritizes coherent imaging, pure treble notion, and managed low-frequency habits, permitting the spatial idea to work naturally fairly than drawing consideration to itself.

For listeners accustomed to conventional headphones, the expertise can initially really feel totally different. Grell encourages spending time with the OAE2, permitting the mind to adapt to the presentation. As soon as acclimatized, the sense of house and placement turns into intuitive, reinforcing the intention behind the design.

Engineering and construct, designed for long-term possession

Past acoustics, OAE2 displays Grell’s perception that premium headphones needs to be serviceable, sturdy, and designed for long-term use.

The headphone makes use of a 40 mm wideband dynamic transducer with a bio-cellulose membrane, mixed with a rigorously carried out damping technique that features a precision-manufactured stainless-steel mesh produced in Germany. Key elements, together with the totally metallic body, are modular and replaceable, permitting the headphone to be maintained over time fairly than handled as disposable.

Packaging follows the identical philosophy, with a transfer in the direction of plastic-free supplies and minimal waste, reinforcing Grell’s give attention to sustainability and long-term worth.

Tech Specs

• Frequency response: 12 Hz – 34 kHz (-3 dB) / 6 Hz – 46 kHz (-10 dB)
• Transducer precept: Dynamic
• Ear coupling: Circum-aural
• Nominal impedance: 38 Ω
• Sensitivity: 100 dB (1 kHz, 1 VRMS)
• THD: 0.05% (1 kHz, 100 dB)
• Weight (with out cable): 378 g

Pricing and Availability

Following its preliminary German launch, Grell OAE2 is about to roll out internationally from 31 March, launching throughout the US, UK, and wider markets at $599 USD / £499 GBP / €499 EUR through grellaudio.com and chosen retailers forward of wider availability. The OAE2 will make its first US public look at CanJam NYC (7–8 March), the place attendees can audition the headphones and place pre-orders.

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