Ecoute Audio TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones – Modern Audiophile HiFi Innovation
Ecoute Audio TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones are a $850 USD pair of high-end headphones that bring innovation to the game, with Tube Amplifiers, LDAC Bluetooth, a long battery life, and a promising sound. Today we will review the Ecoute Gunmetal Audiophile Bundle which includes the cables, transport case and all the other accessories, and we will also take a deep dive and compare the Ecoutes TH1 with other high-end headphones in the same price range, or direct competitors based on the design, including the most direct competitor, Focal Bathys (699 USD), Meze 109 PRO (799 USD), and Sennheiser Momentum 4 (338 USD).
Introduction
This is our first review exploring a pair of headphones from Ecoute, a newborn company that works to bring a better sound to the world, using NuTubes, LDAC and other high-end advanced tech, all while allowing you to use a fully analogue mode to drive their headphones. The company has so far been honest, they’ve given me detailed explanations about each step of the design of the Ecoute TH1 Headphones, and I came to learn as much about audio from reviewing the Ecoute TH1 Headphones, as I typically do throughout a year. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to Ecoute for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
PROs – Very good build quality and comfort. Long Battery life, and innovative design using Nutubes right on the headphones, with an analgoic mode available too. Two different sonic modes, and a holographic, detailed sound that has an excellent resolution and strong clarity.
Cons – Limited maximum volume when using the Wireless / Digital mode. Mushy buttons.
Product Link
Official Shop – https://ecouteaudio.com/collections/all
Build Quality / Aesthetics
We have a shiny, smooth-looking and even a bit edgy and progressive headphone with the Ecoute TH1 Tube. The whole idea behind this pair of headphones is to have a portable audiophile rack sitting on your ears, with a Vacuum tube Preamp, that increases gain and gives the distinctive and pleasing tonality audiophiles enjoy with tube equipment. The Amplification is also handled professionally, with a Dual Mono Integrated Amplifier.
There are three ways to listen to the Ecoute TH1 Headphones, and this includes the Analog way, which allows you to connect to a source via the 3.5mm line in, including a 2V RMS line-in from a phono Preamp, but also using DAPs like iBasso DX320 MAX ti and Lotoo PAW 6000. We also have the Digital way, which allows you to use the USB Type-C Charging input as a USB DAC input, and there you can send in data in High Resolution, up to 32 Bit / 384kHz. The Wireless way includes Bluetooth LDAC, AAC and LC3, and will rely heavily on your device supporting any of those protocols.
I still have a bit of beef with Samsung for thinking that their customers will only use their cheap earbuds, and not including better Bluetooth, but S23 Ultra supports LDAC up to Hi-Res, which works flawlessly with the Ecoute, and I experienced zero dropouts while listening via Bluetooth. The promised wireless experience includes using the embedded DAC and Tube PRE inside of the Ecoute, but they also feature microphones and ANC or Active Noise Canceling and a passthrough mode.
I saw these comments, the buttons are a bit spongy, and do not have a satisfying click to them, but they feel alright in my experience. Nothing in the consumer world can come close to a mechanical key on a mechanical keyboard or the optic switches that mouse producers use for the peripherals I typically use. The tube on the left earcup sits behind a glass display that has a magnifying effect, and like all Nutubes, they light up, creating a very pleasing effect on the Ecoute TH1 Headphones.
Fit / Comfort
I am having a blast wearing the TH1 Headphones, and to answer the first question you may have, they have zero heat produced in the earcup, as the Nutube used in them is one of the coolest running tube variants available commercially. Tkjhkjhhey have a slightly high clamping force, but are lightweight. While the earpads are not very thick nor soft, they offer enough cushioning and have enough space inside for my ears. The driver at the heart of the TH1 is a 40mm Titanium coated Mylar Driver, and they have 1500mAh batteries inside, enough for 20 hours of wireless listening. Using ANC does not degrade the sound in any way, and nor does using the transparency mode, the implementation being flawless. Using the USB Type-C input does not degrade the sound nor introduce any kind of USB DAC delay.
Something also less usual is that the controls are on the right ear cup rather than the left one, and we have a button for play/pause, turning the headphones on and off, and you can press on the left earcup for increasing or lowering the volume. There’s a built-in microphone with good clarity and the total weight of the Ecoute TH1 is 424 grams. The design is fully closed back but they leak quite a bit, and the passive noise isolation is quite average, around 10 dB of passive noise isolation. The battery life is very long, around 20 hours if playing at maximum volume, with the charging time being also a bit long, around 3.5 hours, to better persevere the battery in the long run. The standby time is 30 hours, which is very good.
The company offers Free Worldwide shipping, and also a 30 day money back guarantee, although I noticed that the version I have is currently backordered, so don’t be scared if your order takes a while to arrive. In the wired mode, Ecoute TH1 Vacuum tube consumes quite a bit of power, needs a strong source to sound good, and has a dynamic driver, likely with a high impedance, as it seems to need both volume and current to sound good.
Although not available at the moment of me writing this review, there will be an app available for the Ecoute headphones, and it can overwrite the firmware on the headphones rather than applying a simple EQ, so you can basically apply a certain fine tuning to the DAC chip and the AMP, no USB DAC delay, no added distortion, all is done at a base level. The app should be live in about one month and it will allow those who want a warmer or a bassier sound to achieve it in the wireless mode as well.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To drive the Ecoute TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones, I have used the Samsung S23 Ultra for the Wireless LDAC Mode, with Motorola Edge 50 PRO to test other protocols too. The Wired Mode is an entirely different beast, and to test it I have been using my usual high-end selection of sources, including Sparkos Gemini connected to a SMSL DO200 PRO DAC, Aune S17 PRO Evo connected to Aune S9C, Dethonray Listening M1, iBasso DX320 MAX Ti, and Lotoo PAw GT2.
Overall Signature – Naturally, reviewing such a high-profile pair of headphones means I should and also want to focus more on the sound. Ecoute TH1 has two sounds, one that’s their digital DAC + AMP sound, and one that is the analogic sound. The thing is, the bluetooth sound is exactly the same as the digital wired sound, there is on quality loss when using the Bluetooth mode, if you’re using LDAC, and the wired vs wireless will be the same, especially if you’re in a place that is not saturated in the wireless network. The Analogue wired mode will turn off the DAC, Tube PREAMP, and it will be entirely different in the tuning / signature.
The Wireless / Digital Signature that uses the Embedded Tube PRE is quite neutral, clean and detailed, revealing details exceptionally well in the lateral plane, and projecting music in all directions with excellent instrument separation. The sound is rather neutral / bright in the wireless configuration, but the bass is still existent and can reach 35 Hz in the low-end regions. You will hear a sweet, pleasing voicing with a rich and colorful presentation. This mode has a more limitative maximum volume, reaching around 95 dB at maximum, which is still above the safe listening limit for prolonged periods of time, but much better than if pushing 120 dB (for your hearing). This maximum volume is slightly lower than what Momentum 4 and Focal Bathys can produce, but still close enough that you might not care much. It is possible to get this same sound with the Analog 3.5mm input if you turn on the headphones, or make sure they are turned on when inserting the 3.5mm cable into them, but you can turn them off to experience a different signature / tuning.
The analogic wired mode will be influenced by the source slightly, but generally the sound of the Wired mode is very different if you’re using the 3.5mm input, and you will hear a beefy, dark, bloomy sound with a high level of bass presence, especially mid bass, a rolled off and smooth treble, and a colorful, clean midrange with still a wide and holographic soundstage. The maximum volume of the analogic mode is much louder than the wireless / digital mode, especially if you have a high-end source. Given that the design mainly intends you to use the high-end Dual DAC and AMP and Tube PRE inside of the Ecoute Headphones, I will be exploring the wireless mode for most of the review, but also dive in the analogic mode, which reveals what the driver sounds like without any kind of processing.
Bass – Starting with the low-end, Ecoute TH1 sounds really linear – neutral, but the bass can totally reach the sub-bass levels, it just exists in a very neutral state. The driver itself is capable of producing deep-end thump, rattle and shake the earth, but the design of the Ecoute is to make their Vacuum Tubes Mid-Centric, neutral, fun and clean. In fact, since the treble is also fairly smooth and relaxed, the best way to describe the sound is mid-centric.
If you use the analog mode, you will hear much more bass, around 20 dB of extra bass, with both sub-bass but also mid-bass, a lot of weight, bloom and substance for each song. I can understand needing to EQ the headphones from the Analog state, but the Digital signature can be quite neutral, so each will satisfy your bass needs in a different way.
Midrange – The midrange is always the highlight of the Ecoute TH1 Headphones, both the driver, earcups, and also the whole design is made to create the sweetest, richest voicing possible in the price range. I am equally surprised by how little THD / Distortion the headphones have, and also how rich / colorful the midrange can be, especially considering the price point. Both male and female voices sound musical, smooth and clean, with a gentle and clean handling of transients and instruments, Ecoute TH1 sounding as sweet and musical as you can imagine. There’s no trace of the Digital nature of Bluetooth and Delta-Sigma DAC, the PRE and Dual Mono AMP inside of the Ecoute TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones really sounds analogic and clean.
If you’re using the analog mode, the sound is also very clean, musical and rich, but the bloomy bass overtakes the highlight from the midrange, sounding louder and creating a bit more space between the listener and the singer. The sound is a bit more distant in the fully passive mode, but the bloomy bass gives more weight to voices and instruments too, creating a more dramatic presentation.
Treble – Regardless of which mode you’re using, the treble of the Ecoute is smooth, clean and detailed, with a strong emphasis on revealing micro details and air, symbols and finer elements in music. This kind of treble allows you to really pump the volume regardless of the listening mode, and the treble response is pretty much the same in both modes, smooth, silky, refined and relaxed, with a zero fatigue policy for the listener to enjoy their favorite songs.
Dynamics – Despite being bluetooth and one of the most electronically complex headphones I have reviewed, Ecoute is a very dynamic sounding pair of headphones, and this is handled equally well in both active and passive mode. You will never hear like any compression is applied, regardless whether you’re enjoying some rock, metal or Classical music, and even if using them bluetooth, the DAC and AMP are both optimized to keep the sound as punchy and contrasty as possible. I am willing to say that I could never hear any kind of compression with the Ecoute TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones.
PRaT / Textures – The texture level changes between the Active and Passive modes quite a bit, and in the Active mode, the impulse response is generally natural-fast, you will hear quite a bit of texture, but both thanks to the NuTube PREamp, and the high-resolution DAC, the sound is always coherent, organic and pleasing to the ear, with a specific musicality to it.
Using the analog mode, you will hear a much slower bass response in general, the sound becomes heavy, thick and textures are always thick, although treble is still quite airy and sharp if the source DAC can render treble sparkle and air. Generally, the sound of the Ecoute TH1 can be either snappy and natural in the digital domain, and if the Dual DAC + Nutube PRE does the heavy lifting, or heavy, and voluptuous if you use an external source.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – Ecoute TH1 handles volume in the analogic mode very well, they can be brought loud and they deliver a satisfying sound with low THD, but the maximum volume in the digital mode is a bit more limited, they don’t go higher than 100 dB. This should still be more than enough for most listeners, and you will hear a clean sound regardless of the volume. Volume gradient is perfect, the sound is pretty much the same across all volumes, especially in the digital domain.
Soundstage – Ecoute TH1 sounds fairly holographic and wide, creating quite a bit of space between instruments, and an entire atmosphere / air in between the instruments. Instrument separation is stronger in the analog mode, but the sound is wider and more airy in the digital mode. Generally, they are great for rock, metal, EDM, and pop, modern music.
Comparisons
Ecoute TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 (850 USD vs 338 USD) – Sennheiser has some really good headphones in their Momentum 4, and although the buttons are more satisfying and the earpads have a softer sponge inside, the actual comfort is a tiny bit better on the Ecoute, as Momentum 4 has a metallic piece inside that detects when you’re wearing them, and not having that feature is no big loss for me, as I don’t need the headphones to stop playing automatically. Sonically, Momentum 4 is a full-fledged bass cannon, and while they smear some details and lose some precision in the process of being the bassiest bass cannons possible, you can get a high degree of impact and slam from the Ecoute TH1 too, if you use the Analog mode. If you’re using the Digital Mode, or Bluetooth, the sound of the Ecoute TH1 is far more detailed, cleaner, brighter, airier and has a better depth, more slam and more impact. It is basically a headphone with an ultimate level of resolution, clarity and detail, an airy and wide soundstage and sounds far more refined, wider and more holographic than Momentum 4, but also far less bassy.
Ecoute TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones vs Meze 109 PRO (850 USD vs 799 USD) – Meze 109 PRO is wired, but comes at a similar price as TH1, and while both headphones need a source to work, 109 PRO needs far more power and is more picky with the source. From a comfort point of view, 109 PRO is larger, lighter and provides better comfort, but TH1 can be wireless at the same price point. Sonically, TH1 sounds airier, has a wider soundstage, a brighter treble, and the treble is less metallic and less hot, more expanded and more holographic. The bass of 109 PRO is generally deeper, more powerful, but the midrange is rather detailed and clean on both. Ecoute TH 1 brings forward more details in the upper midrange, and can render more fine details, while 109 PRO makes the treble sound more metallic, harsher, but is also can pack more punch in the bass. Thanks to its sweeter midrange and better resolution, plus wireless design that needs no additional DAC / AMP, TH1 is easier to recommend, although it is heavier and tighter.
Ecoute TH1 Vacuum Tube Headphones vs Focal Bathys (850 USD vs 699 USD) – Focal Bathys is the most direct competitor to Ecoute TH1, and it wins a few points in the comfort / design department, as Bathys is a lighter, less tight, and larger pair of headphones that has more space for my ears inside. This being said, the battery of the TH1 is better, I have charged them only once ever started working on reviewing them, despite listening to them for over 10 hours, and at max volume, they are still kicking. The overall resolution is better on the TH1, which extracts and reveals more details from music, sounds more musical and more energetic. The bass is a bit deeper and warmer on the Bathys, while TH1 has a brighter, more open sound that’s sweeter and feels more “at home”. Generally Ecoute TH1 has a better sound, the Tube adds quite a bit of sweetness and warmth to the sound, making TH1 really easy to enjoy.
Value and Conclusion
Ecoute TH1 costs 850 USD, which is a similar price compared to other high-end bluetooth headphones, but they provide a different, more advanced listening setup with better resolution, higher clarity and more sonic modes, all while having a longer battery life and better support for high-resolution codecs. This means that they are generally a better value than direct competitors, and currently it is the only headphone in production with Nutubes on the headphone itself.
At the end of the day, Ecoute TH1 is a revolutionary headphone, and while I did review a pair that tired to do this in the past, namely the OVC Vacuum Tube Headphones, Ecoute TH1 is on a totally different level of clarity, detail and resolution, it actually delivers the performance you’d expect from a high-end headphone driven by a tube, A wireless module and sounds brilliant.
Product Link
Official Shop – https://ecouteaudio.com/collections/all
--- Please remember to stay safe, and always have fun while listening to music!---
- If you have a dime to spare, please donate, and help us! It would make the day brighter for me and my wife-
Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
--- Contact Us ---
