The mechanical quality of headphones—meaning their build quality, durability, and material choices—varies depending on the manufacturer and model. Brands such as Austrian Audio and ULTRASONE are known for their high-quality workmanship and longevity. But how do their approaches to quality differ? And how can it be evaluated and improved?
In tests, aspects such as sound quality, wearing comfort, and build quality are evaluated. For example, AUDIO magazine praises the detailed workmanship and material quality of headphones from these manufacturers in their reviews.
However, it is important to note that mechanical quality depends not only on the brand but also on the specific model. Not every model has to meet the same requirements, and not every model can be treated the same way.
For professional studio headphones, the demands on mechanical quality are certainly the highest. This is why ULTRASONE conducts intensive tests in this area in order to continuously improve quality. Our Signature headphones undergo extensive mechanical testing in every production batch to evaluate the quality of the plastics and ensure maximum resistance to breakage.
Austrian Audio uses metal parts in the suspension systems of some of their products. But do these really improve quality, or do they simply make the product look more premium while increasing its weight?
Our 30 years of experience in the professional sector have shown us one thing very clearly: metal does not automatically make things better. The parts that are most prone to breakage are usually not the ones that are prominently made of metal—at least not in the case of our colleagues from Austria.
What matters far more is the testing method. Whenever I can, I take a look at the mechanical quality assurance testing methods used by other manufacturers, and they are usually quite similar. However, from a mechanical perspective, thousands of test cycles are often carried out that precisely miss the real demands of everyday use.
If a headphone cannot pass these tests, it would not survive a single day in professional use. Yet some of ours have been in service for over 20 years and are still going strong. Why is that?
My opinion on this:
Our tests are different and are carried out under strict confidentiality. They are based on what actually happens in studio environments and during DJ performances, where movement patterns are very different and much harder to reproduce than in standardized tests. But these tests reveal weaknesses mercilessly. Only recently, an entire production batch of plastic components was sent back to the supplier because it did not meet the required standards.
The resulting delay in delivery is far preferable to any compromise in product quality.
Because you know: where ULTRASONE is written on the product, quality is inside—and it keeps getting better and better!
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