Austrian Audio has unveiled two entry-level additions to its impressive Hi-X series. The wired HI-X15 and wireless HI-X25BT closed-back over-ears are designed for both private listing and professional audio.
The new models come only a few months after the company’s first foray into headphones with the five-star Hi-X50 and Hi-X55 over ears. Formed by former AKG employees after the brand migrated to California, Austrian Audio has a pedigree of expertise in studio technology that has extended beyond its initial microphone offering into the Hi-X headphones line-up.
Starting with the more affordable option, the wired Hi-X15 over-ears are priced at £89 ($119, about AU$170) and have a folding design with metal hinges for easy storage and durability. The closed construction and insulation of the Hi-X15 headphones offer isolation suited for studio and performance spaces as well as at home. A 1.4m cable terminated to mini-jack is included but other lengths are available to purchase at an additional cost.
With the HI-X25BT you have the choice of going wired or wireless, with detachable USB-C and USB-C-to-3.5mm cables, plus Bluetooth 5 onboard for a claimed 30 hours of wireless listening time. The earcups feature integrated mics for taking calls and touch controls to controlling music playback. The Hi-X25BT are priced at £135 ($179, about AU$260) and included in the box is a 1.4m mini-jack cable, a 1.2m USB-C cable and adapters for USB-C-to-USB-A and 3.5-to-6.3mm jack.
Both models have a low impedance of 25-ohms to improve performance when used with low-power outputs like mobile devices and employ the same 44mm drivers as the rest of the Hi-X series. Designed for comfort during long sessions, the large earpads are made of soft memory foam and are replaceable.
The Hi-X15 and HI-X25BT will be available in Europe this month before coming to the US in September and Asia in October.
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