Quad Era 1 Review | 93 Data compared

The Quad ERA-1 is the historic British audio brand's first foray into the headphone market, utilizing a planar magnetic design inspired by their legendary electrostatic loudspeakers. Priced at £599, these over-ear headphones deliver a full-bodied, neutral sound signature with a characteristically warm, mellow midrange and an incredibly powerful, energetic bass response. Built with a robust metal and plastic chassis weighing 450 grams, they feature an ultra-thin, highly elastic diaphragm and a uniquely designed metal cavity behind the driver to optimize acoustic performance. Thanks to a low impedance of 20Ω and high sensitivity, the ERA-1 can be easily driven directly by portable media players without requiring heavy amplification. Pros and Cons Pros: Exceptional bass and midrange depth. Pros: Fatigue-free listening for long sessions. Pros: Outstanding value for money for a planar design. Pros: Easily driven by low-output portable devices. Cons: Refined top frequencies lack bite and excitement. Cons: Soundstage feels less 3D or open than electrostatics. Cons: The 450g build is fairly heavy. Cons: Headband aesthetics appear somewhat dated. Ultimately, the reviewer praises the ERA-1 as an exceptionally well-constructed, non-fatiguing alternative...

The Absolute Sound review praises the $799 Quad ERA-1 planar-magnetic headphonesGo as an exceptional debut, noting they deliver the "uncanny transparency" of Quad’s historic ESL-57 speakers while surpassing them in technical areas like transient speed and bass articulation. Sonically, these headphones offer a slightly uplifted, impactful bass alongside detailed, smooth highs, striking a balance between musicality and accuracy. Pros highlighted include high-end sonic performance, two distinct sets of earpads for sound tuning, and an easy-to-drive nature (20 ohms) that pairs well with varied, including portable, gear. Conversely, the primary cons involve a bulky build that reduces commute-friendliness and a sound signature that, while excellent, may not appeal to those seeking a perfectly flat, clinical reference sound.

The Quad ERA-1 is the British audio company's first foray into the headphone market, opting for an orthodynamic design that aims to replicate the legendary sound of their classic electrostatic speakers. Equipped with a proprietary ultra-thin planar magnetic diaphragm, it delivers exceptional speed, phase coherency, and excellent dynamic range. The review highly praises the inclusion of two distinct earpads, noting that switching to the angled sheepskin pads dramatically enhances the sonic signature by transforming a flat, one-dimensional soundstage into a fully three-dimensional, open, and airy musical experience while taming any upper-midrange harshness. Furthermore, its low 20Ω impedance and high efficiency make it highly versatile, allowing it to perform impressively when driven directly by portable devices like smartphones and digital audio players. Despite its strong performance, the review highlights several drawbacks regarding its physical construction and native tuning out of the box. The structural earcup brackets and trim are made of plastic, raising durability concerns under heavy or abusive use. In terms of audio fidelity, the flat earpads create an overly narrow, inside-your-head presentation with an emphasized upper midrange and an...

The Quad ERA-1 is an open-backed, planar-magnetic headphone ($799 USD) that delivers exceptional clarity, speed, and openness, allowing listeners to easily distinguish small micro-details and natural instrument decays. A major highlight is the inclusion of two distinct sets of earpads that offer viable, interchangeable sound profiles. The velour pads provide a warm, midrange-centric character with solid, well-defined bass pitch. Conversely, the leather pads expand the soundstage depth and width while injecting more energy into the treble and deeper low-frequency extension. Users will also appreciate its highly sensitive design, which makes it easy to drive directly from a smartphone. Furthermore, its lightweight 14.75-ounce build and low clamping force ensure superb, long-term listening comfort. However, the ERA-1 has notable structural and sonic trade-offs. The headband entirely lacks a rotating joint. This forces users to physically push the fronts of the earcups inward every time they put them on with the angled leather pads to get a proper seal. The physical dimensions are also massive, making them potentially too large for smaller heads even at the shortest adjustment setting. Sonically, the leather pads...

The Quad Era-1 is an open-back planar-magnetic headphone priced at $799 that marks a successful first foray into headphones for the prestigious British amplifier brand. It delivers an articulate, full, and energetic sound signature characterized by a precise, tactile bass with ample impact, well-balanced and low-distortion mids, and a highly detailed, smooth high-end extension. The standout feature is its breathtaking and airy soundstage, which provides impressive headroom and exceptional instrument placement for its price point. Furthermore, with a low nominal impedance of 20 ohms, these headphones are remarkably easy to drive using most low-output devices, though a dedicated amplifier is still recommended for optimal performance. The primary drawbacks of the Quad Era-1 lie in its fit, as the loose headband can create an unsettling sensation that the bulky headphones are slipping off, even though they remain secure during movement. Additionally, the included 6-foot nylon-braided cable tends to kink a bit too easily. On the positive side, the headphone boasts a highly customizable and generous package, featuring a quality build, a carrying case, and two distinct sets of earpads—sheepskin for enhanced...

The Quad ERA-1 planar-magnetic headphones are reviewed as an attainable, open-back, sub-$800 option offering the transparency of Quad's iconic ESL-57 speakers, with superior bass response and superior dynamics. Key strengths include excellent midrange clarity and highly detailed high frequencies, positioning it as a top contender in its price class. Conversely, the 420-gram design may cause fatigue during extended listening, and the open-back, 94dB sensitivity requires a powerful amplifier for optimal performance, limiting its use in noisy environments. The design offers minimal isolation, serving better as a dedicated home listening component than a portable device.

In this hi-fi+ Global review, Chris Martens evaluates the Quad ERA-1Go, the historic British brand's first-ever open-back planar magnetic headphone. Priced at $799 (£599), the ERA-1 aims to channel the signature transparency of Quad's legendary ESL-57 electrostatic loudspeakers. Martens notes that the headphones feature a premium build with matte silver-grey housings, black perforated metal mesh vent screens, and a leather-clad top strap. They also come equipped with a hard-shell carry case, a high-quality detachable fabric-jacketed cable, and two distinct sets of ear pads. The core of the review highlights strong performance pros, balanced by a few notable sonic and operational cons. On the positive side, the ERA-1 delivers powerful, highly articulate, and tactile bass that provides excellent impact without becoming boomy, alongside beautifully nuanced, non-fatiguing mids and clear, delicate treble extension. In fact, the reviewer states it actually surpasses the original ESL-57 speakers in low-end depth and dynamic transient attack. Conversely, the primary drawbacks include an initial "opaque" and restricted sound signature out of the box, requiring a lengthy 70-hour burn-in period to fully open up. Furthermore, sound optimization is...

The Quad ERA-1 is an open-back, planar magnetic headphone from the historic British HiFi manufacturer that punches significantly above its price point, offering a fast, open, and transparent presentation akin to electrostatic speakers. In terms of performance, the review highlights a superb, well-extended bass that reaches deep with excellent texture, alongside a focused, nuanced mid-range and crisp, clear treble that avoids causing listening fatigue. It delivers exceptional price-to-performance value, boasts a sturdy build with extensive metal parts, provides pinpoint imaging, and is incredibly easygoing regarding amplification, sounding decent from mobile sources and scaling exceptionally well with desktop amplifiers. Despite its stellar acoustic qualities, the review notes a few distinct drawbacks regarding comfort and design. The stock foam used inside both the headband and the two included sets of ear pads (angled sheepskin and flat hybrid) could be softer, lacking the industry-standard comfort of memory foam. Furthermore, the headphone utilizes a proprietary connector ring for the pads—similar to Focal's design—which makes finding third-party replacements highly difficult unless users resort to DIY modifications or use double-sided gel tape. Lastly, the recessed design...