Quad ERA-1 Planar Headphones Review
After establishing British Hi-Fi as the leader since 1936 with their iconic ESL electrostatic panel speakers, Quad has delivered its first ever headphones. The ERA-1 headphones have low impedance, high efficiency and performance that is comparable to the renowned ESL speakers.
The sturdy construction and premium finish give them a luxurious feeling, but they are still comfortable and lightweight in contrast to other designs. Two kinds of earpads are included, one made of soft leather, and the other made of fleece and latex. This gives you a more personalised fit and better audio quality.
ERA-1
The Quad ERA-1 headphones are an open, planar-magnetic earphone that has an extremely high level of transparency and soundstage expansion. They are suitable for studio, home audio and DJ work as well as mobile use. They feature a lightweight diaphragm set between two magnets, which offers an even frequency response, without any phase shifts. This is different from traditional dynamic cone speakers, that have a sloping frequency response. The ERA-1s produce clear and spacious sound that has accurate vocals. The ERA-1s are full and rich with bass that doesn’t overwhelm. The treble is clear and inviting while the midrange is naive.
The soundstage is bigger than other headphones at the same price. The headband and earpads have a leather surface with a soft, comfortable feel. The minimalist design of the earpads matches its high-performance sound. It has the standard TRS connector and is detachable, making it easy to replace or swap out if you need to. It also comes with a carrying case made of hardshell and an additional pair of earpads that can be used for different sound styles.
The ERA-1 can be comfortable for long listening sessions. They’re not light, but they are more compact than other top-quality headphones that have similar performance. They’re also very efficient and don’t require much power to drive. The ear pads are extremely soft, which means that you can wear them for hours without discomfort.
The ERA-1s are competing against headphones from Audeze and HiFiMAN in a marketplace dominated by high-end, moderately priced planar magnetic models. In a crowded market it is more than a good brand name and a cheap tag to stand out. I have listened to a track of Alter Natives who perform percussive rhythmic improv. The songs of Alter Natives include a variety instruments, including electric guitars, flute, bass, saxophone, and many more. The ERA-1s reproduced the track with amazing clarity and precision even at loud volumes.
ERA-2
Quad’s first headphones were hailed as a technology breakthrough by both critics and customers. The ERA-1 is a bid to capture the awe-inspiring qualities of Quad’s legendary electrostatic speakers in an open and high-quality headphone that offers rich bass, soft, articulate mids, pristine, highs and a wide intimate soundstage that isn’t restricting. It’s difficult to imagine a better headphone than one that has an ideal tonal balance, and convincing separation of instruments, making you feel like you’re in the studio alongside the musicians.
The earcups are constructed of a breathable and lightweight material that is comfortable for long listening sessions. Its patent-pending nonlinear vibration suppression technology is designed to reduce unwanted reverberations within the headphones. This improves clarity and accuracy. The ERA-1’s drivers are tuned acoustically to extremely precise tolerances, which results in excellent transient response and detail resolution. Its sleek and compact design makes it simple to transport. It also has an adapter for headphones that can be detachable and comes with two standard 3.5mm TRS connectors, which makes it easy to connect custom aftermarket cables.
In contrast to electrostatic headphones, which require a particular bias voltage and very high-voltage audio signal to operate, Planar Headphone-magnetic designs can be driven by the output of many portable digital audio players, or an external headphone amplifier. This allows them to provide an immersive and natural listening experience than traditional headphones. The ERA-1 planar magnetic driver has less stored power, which means it can reproduce low-frequency sounds more effectively than headphones with a larger diaphragm.
I played different pieces of music to test the ERA-1. This included classical pieces as well as contemporary recordings. I found the ERA-1 to have superb clarity and imaging, which was particularly evident in the music with strings. Each note was clearly separated in space. However it was less flesh-and bone than the LCD-X in this regard as it has a richer and more natural presentation. Both can track the shapes of the notes with remarkable accuracy. However, the ERA-1 is more coherent in its sound. It also has a softer sound which makes it more suitable for use on mobile devices.
ERA-3
The majority of headphones priced under $1000 have a an sonic sound that sounds too cloistered and boxed-in. ERA-1 delivers the openness and transparency that you expect from a planar design. The headphone is extremely light and has a low clamping force which makes it suitable for long listening sessions. SoundStage was among our listeners! Solo editor Brent Butterworth; John Higgins, a music performance student of USC and regular contributor to Wirecutter and Sound & Vision; and saxophonist LeRena Major, Planar Headphone a Los Angeles-based Major.
Planar headphones utilize a thin membrane sandwiched between two magnets. This is different from electrostatic headphones, which require a separate headphone amplifier to generate the bias voltage and high voltage audio signal that is required to drive their diaphragms. This allows all components of the membrane to resonate at the same frequency, which reduces intermodulation distortion caused by inductance.
Planars can also operate by a portable audio player equipped with a driver sufficiently sensitive. The ERA-1 is one of the few headphones that can be used this method, however to realize their full potential you will require a top headphone amplifier.
The ERA-1 has a wide soundstage, excellent clarity and a natural and smooth midrange. It has a quick response that makes it simple to follow the strings in complex arrangements. I tried the track “Mining for Gold,” from the Cowboy Junkies album The Trinity Session (16/44.1 FLAC, RCA), and I found that the notes on the strings were well separated and exceptionally clear.
Quad ERA-1 is a better alternative to the MrSpeakers Amiron. It provides more accurate imaging and a better separation of instruments. It’s a bit more comfortable than the Amiron however, it still offers outstanding clarity and a black background. I then played the jazz-improv portion of Alter Natives’ Over The Counter – Culture album on the SST Label (24/96 vinyl rip), to hear how the ERA-1 reproduced the drums, electric guitarist, flute, and saxophone. This track requires a high dynamic range and speed to reproduce the music accurately. Its impressive phase coherency and clarity were evident as was the bass that was tight and full of depth.
ERA-4
Quad is back in the market for headphones after a long absence. The ERA-1 planar magnetic headphones are built on the company’s legacy of electrostatic speakers. It has a diaphragm that is thin that is surrounded by high-quality drivers which are tuned to close tolerances. This lets the entire diaphragm including the earpieces, to be vibrating simultaneously. This improves phase coherency and the reconstruction of signals with peaks. The lightweight and comfortable design lets you wear it for long listening sessions.
The ERA-1 is a fantastic choice for music lovers who want an open, detailed soundstage with excellent imaging. It is more user-friendly than many of the planar headphones and it can be used with any smartphone or portable audio device. Its low impedance quotient makes it compatible with a wide range of amplifiers. The earcups of the headphones are padded to ensure they are comfortable. Its soundstage has a spacious feel and its high frequency response has excellent transient response. Its midrange is accurate and natural, and its bass has plenty of depth.
Unlike most headphones, the ERA-1’s driver complement is the same on both sides of the headphone. This allows for equal performance across both ears. This feature is crucial for those who enjoy listening to music with others or in groups. The open-backed design of ERA-1 provides excellent sound isolation and helps to reduce bleeding from external sources.
The ERA-1 headphone made by Quad is a great option to get the most excellent sound. The design is low-profile, making it easy to fit into any head shape. The headphone comes with a carry case, a spare set headphones and a bag for carrying. It is ideal for trips. The ERA-1 comes with a cord that can be detachable that can be made to fit your needs.
The Quad ERA-1 is a good choice for those who love classic hi-fi. Its open-backed design gives it a wide soundstage and great imaging. Additionally, its smooth and clear sound is perfect for any genre of music. The rich detail and clear vocals are particularly impressive. The ERA-1 can be purchased from several online stores at an affordable cost.