Magnetic Magazine's David Ireland awarded the TH1 an Editor's Choice in a review that doubles as a meditation on what high-fidelity listening should feel like — and stands as one of the most comprehensive articulations of the full-system-in-a-headset concept we've seen.
"These headphones don't sound like headphones. They sound like a reference-grade two-channel system, where music isn't just presented — it's performed in front of you."
If you're curious what a vacuum tube does in a signal path and why it matters, this is a good place to start. It offers one of the most comprehensive explanations of the écoute concept, covering the signal path, dual-mono architecture, why tubes matter, custom tuning, and genre-by-genre listening impressions in accessible language.
"This is the single most impressive wireless headphone I have ever used."
Ron On Tech is a dedicated headphone review channel focused on describing what he hears in real time rather than reciting specs. Along with unboxings and first impressions, Ron's popular Gauntlet series pits his favorite headphones against each other to find his personal favorite.
"These guys are on a completely different level as far as I'm concerned. I absolutely love the way these sound. It is wonderful, just fantastic. And if you haven't tried them, try them. Please try them. I'm telling you, you'll be very surprised."
Audio46 is one of the most trusted headphone retailers and reviewers in the US, and their TH1 review is a thorough, honest assessment from people who spend their working lives listening to headphones at every price point. Their verdict:
"Detail that rivals reference-grade hi-fi systems costing many times more."
One of the most widely read hi-fi publications in the world, with a technically literate readership that doesn't hand out praise lightly. Their full review called the TH1 a boundary-pushing product in a market that rarely surprises anyone—and included it in their Best Headphones of 2026 feature.
Audiophile Heaven put the TH1 head-to-head against some of the most respected headphones in its price class—the Focal Bathys, Meze 109 Pro, and Sennheiser Momentum 4—and walked away impressed by its build, comfort, holographic soundstage, and innovative vacuum tube implementation.
"écoute TH1 is on a totally different level of clarity, detail and resolution, it delivers the performance you'd expect from a high-end headphone driven by a tube and sounds brilliant."
"The TH1 headphones provide a great sense of space and effortless reproduction, very reminiscent of listening to a fully analog hifi setup, which is very pleasant. The combination of a built-in DAC that independently processes the left and right audio channels, and the dual-mono amplification creates that level of power dynamics, detail and definition that I would expect from premium wired headphones. As écoute audio intended, providing the experience of a complete hi-fi system, engineered into portable headphones."
KUULOKENURKKA a well-regarded Finnish audio publication conducted one of the most technically thorough reviews in the TH1's press library, including detailed measurements.
"I really like TH1 and especially its natural and vibrant sound. The inclusion of a tube amplifier automatically makes TH1 stand out from the crowd. This is exactly the kind of innovative and interesting invention I want to see! "
The Luxe Review approached the TH1 from a design and premium lifestyle perspective, which makes their coverage a useful indicator that the headset crosses over from pure audiophile territory into the broader world of considered, design-conscious ownership.
"These wireless headphones attempt something unusual: translating the architecture of classic audiophile Hi-Fi into a wearable form."
Tom's Guide is one of the most widely read consumer technology publications in the world. Tammy Rogers came to the TH1 as a skeptic and left a convert — her review is a first-person narrative of a listening experience that genuinely surprised her across every genre she tested, earning the TH1 an Editor's Choice award, Tom's Guide's highest designation.
"I just tested these headphones powered by vacuum tubes — and they sound incredible."
Edward Schooley writes for Guitar Thrills Magazine, a Tampa-based publication for working musicians and serious listeners. He approaches the TH1 from a guitarist's perspective—someone for whom the relationship between music and the brain is less metaphor than principle—and concludes it's one of the few headsets that meets that standard.
"Every note, every vocal nuance, feels alive — the listening experience is immersive in a way that most wireless headphones simply cannot match."
A measurement-backed review from Irish audiophile Jerome O'Flaherty, who first encountered the TH1 at CanJam London. He benchmarks the TH1 against the Audeze Maxwell, Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE, and Yamaha YH-L500A, approaching it with both a calibrated measurement rig and a subjective ear — and ultimately letting the latter win.
"It feels less like a consumer gadget and more like a piece of high-end hifi equipment that happens to be wireless."
The TH1 gets one of its most technically substantive write-up from Mark Sparrow, who covers audio for Forbes as a senior contributor. He takes a detailed look at the signal path architecture that makes a clear case for why this is a different category of product entirely.
"Their design is more akin to a high-end hi-fi system that uses discrete electronic elements, each chosen to produce the best possible sound and a stereo signal in a dual-mono signal path."
Jude Mansilla, founder of Head-Fi.org — the largest and most influential headphone enthusiast community on the internet — introduces the TH2 at CanJam Dubai and confirms the key claims one by one from his own listening experience. Coming from someone with his credibility in the enthusiast community, the endorsement carries significant weight.
"To me it's a significantly better headphone."
Rodrigo Lana, musician and mixing engineer, evaluated the TH1 as a studio tool, comparing it directly with his reference headphones, including the Sennheiser HD 650. Impressed by the tube circuit's unique harmonic qualities, he gave the TH1 a permanent place in his setup, replacing one of his studio reference headphones. (Portuguese with English subtitles, 2025).
"Simply the most professional midrange response that I have ever tested in a headphone."
A thorough walkthrough from one of Southern California's most respected hi-fi retailers, covering build quality, signal path architecture, app functionality, and sound.
"There is something truly unique, organic, and magical about experiencing music with tubes. The TH1 headphones provide that listening experience with the flexibility to customize sound quality using the built-in EQ to make the sound your own while still delivering the 3D holographic quality of tubes."
Lucian Dobrescu from Audiophile Heaven works through the TH1 methodically and lands on a straightforward recommendation — notable coming from a reviewer who makes clear he expected something very different from what he heard.
"It's super easy to recommend if you want a progressive product. It's comfortable, practical, has Bluetooth, has ANC — basically full marks on everything."