When we first tested the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless, back in early 2019, we could see their huge potential but certainly couldn’t recommend them on the back of a review sample that simply didn’t fit properly.
There was no proper seal on the earcups, with each of them standing proud of the head underneath and behind each ear. Because of that, decent bass simply wasn’t an option unless you clamped the cans to your head with your hands. Not ideal.
It was a shame, because it was clear that the Amiron Wireless had the potential to be very good indeed.
So now that a rather remarkable 18 months and more has passed, it is time to take another look at the Amiron Wireless. Last year, they were priced at £699 ($699); now you can pick them up for nearer £500 ($500), so if that fault has been resolved, you could be getting something of a bargain. If a pair of headphones with such an asking price could ever be called a bargain…
Build and comfort
The Amiron Wireless differ from their near namesake, the 2020 What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Amiron, in a few areas – some obvious, others less so. First off is the lack of a cable connecting your headphones to your source – unless you need to use one, of course. If you run out of battery, the option to tether yourself to your source is a useful one, and a cable with a three-button remote is supplied with the headphones, along with a charging cable and a semi-hard case.
That lack of a fixed wire does mean that there are instead two short cables running from each earcup to the headband, but it isn’t to any great detriment of the looks of this nicely built pair of headphones.
The Amiron Wireless are well made from aluminium and high-quality plastics, with a plush-feeling Alcantara headband. As you would expect of a product at this level, this feels suitably premium in build and feel.
The other major difference between the wired Amiron and the Wireless is that the former is an open-backed model, whereas the Wireless version we have here are closed-back designs. There are advantages to both styles, and the most obvious discernible difference between the two is that a closed-backed headphone will leak a whole lot less noise than their open-backed cousins.
On the subject of noise, there is no noise-cancelling technology on these headphones, which with so many talented and cheaper rivals offering the tech is something of a disappointment. With a good seal around your ears, however, the Amiron Wireless do offer a fair amount of passive noise protection, so it may not be the be all and end all.
That closed design also allows Beyerdynamic to use the back of the right-hand earcup as the headphones’ control mechanism. A tap or a swipe, or combinations of the two, will control things such as volume, fast-forward and rewind, skip track, answer call, or access to your mobile's voice assistant.
Type Closed
Impedance 32ohms
Max power 200mW
Cable length 1.2m
Bluetooth version 4.2
Battery life 30 hrs
Weight 380 g
This control method takes a bit of getting used to, but once we’ve given it a good run and practised for a while, we find things start to become as simple as pushing a button.
Of course, it does mean that the headphones have much cleaner lines, without any visible means of control. All you have on the earcups, as far as buttons and inputs go, is the USB-C input for charging the headset (Beyerdynamic claims that the Amiron Wireless will keep going strong for at least 30 hours on a full charge), the 3.5mm headphone socket, a microphone (betrayed by a small hole in the casework) for calls and talking to your digital assistant, and a long push-button to turn the headphones on and off and to initiate the Bluetooth pairing.
We find this switch a little grating to use. It’s set flush to the casework of the headphones and, as such, it is sometimes difficult to know if we’re actually applying enough pressure or not. It’s a small thing – and the button lights up after a second or two to acknowledge the input – but we find it irritating nevertheless.
Normally, with a pair of wireless headphones, we would expect to be using them a fair amount out and about. The Amiron Wireless is an expensive piece of kit, however, so we can imagine quite a few people being somewhat reticent to use them on the train or bus. They are also pretty large to be called truly portable – and they don’t fold down in any way. The semi-hard case is nicely made, and an effective protection for the headset, but you can’t easily transport it all without a bag to carry everything in. Ultimately, they are not what you'd call pocket sized.
Indeed, a glance on Beyerdynamic’s website shows that the German company is pushing these as headphones to use in the home rather than out on the street, and that seems logical to us.
Sound
We charge up the headphones and connect to our MacBook Pro laptop via Bluetooth without any difficulty – a friendly voice in our ear telling us we are connected, and then coming back with a reassuring confirmation that aptX Bluetooth is active.
Most importantly, we are relieved to find that, with this headset, the earcups sit with a good seal this time – so things look very promising from the start.
The headphones are comfortable, with no excessive pressure on the ears from the clamping force, and the headset feels reasonably light to wear. We can imagine wearing these for lengthy listening sessions without too many problems – and glasses wearers can rest easy.
We listen to a variety of music, from classical to pop with much in between, and the Amiron Wireless are consistent in their performance. And that is to say, very good indeed.
The sound is punchy and rhythmic with the clean, crisp midrange and treble now complemented (thank goodness) by a snappy well-timed bass. The lower registers are relayed confidently while not being overbearing.
These are nicely balanced headphones, then, not bass heavy as so many can be. This articulate sound allows the Amiron Wireless to convey subtleties in a musical track better than any other Bluetooth headphones we have heard. It’s an impressive advertisement for the technology.
The bass treatment helps to relay those musical subtleties with finesse, and it is easy to make out the leading edges of notes. This is an impressive performance – comfortable to listen to, but also precise – so we can analyse each part of the sonic spectrum if we want to, or simply enjoy a piece of music as a whole.
Beyerdynamic has teamed up with Mimi Hearing Technologies to offer personalized, tailored settings for the Amiron Wireless. Download an app onto your Android or iOS smartphone and follow the instructions to take a fairly quick test, listening to tones via the headset; the app will set things up, it claims, to make the headphones sound their best for you. It’s an effective experience, and we would recommend you try it to see what your preference is.
Verdict
The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are among the best wireless headphones we have heard.
If you get a pair that properly fits, we’re happy to say that you'd be hard-pushed to find better wireless performance for the money. While they do block out plenty of external sound, there is no active noise-cancelling, which less expensive rivals offer, and this is a bulky, non-folding headset. But if you want the best sound you can get from a pair of wireless headphones for home use, you should look no further.
SCORES
- Sound 5
- Comfort 4
- Build 4
MORE:
Our pick of the best wireless headphones on the market
Read our Beyerdynamic Amiron review
