I’m more of a speakers type of guy but there are times when headphones are more appropriate. I’ve known of AIAIAI for a while now and have always been very fond of the style of their headphones so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a pair to see if the sound was up to the level of design.
The packaging definitely matches the premium price tag. The box has a matt black finish.
However inside is something which I was very surprised by.
AIAIAI have gone for a very modular approach with their headphones – something you very rarely see other manufacturers do. It’s a fantastic way to have the drivers you want, headband you want and cable you want. To keep each part of the product in pristine condition they’re sealed into pouches.
The pouches literally have to be torn open. Inside you’ll find the units which make up your headphones.
These are all units found in the TMA-2 preset. You’ll get one headband, two drivers, two soft ear pads and a red 3.5mm cable which also comes with a 1/4 inch adapter.
You can tell straight away these are a premium set of studio headphones. The quality of the headband, the way the drivers hook on to the band and the softness of the ear pads scream quality.
The headband and driver units have a soft touch matt black finish. It may not be to everyone’s taste but I love the monolithic finish of them. The quality of the finish is also sublime.
AIAIAI say the ear pads are made from memory foam cushion. I wouldn’t go as far to say they’re memory foam but they definitely are super comfortable for long listening times – something which has always been an issue for me with other headphones.
The ear pads are designed to go over the ear and encapsulate your whole ear. It basically seals round your ear.
AIAIAI offer four different driver unit presets. The TMA-2 come with the S04 units. These units are supposed to be their clearest and most vibrant and I can definitely say that it’s exactly what I’ve been experiencing.
The sound quality is probably some of the best I’ve heard from a set of headphones. When listening to complex tracks you can really hear the different levels and get a real sense of clarity between them.
You really sense the difference when you go back to a shit pair of headphones – everything sounds muffled and just not as rich.
I’ve been using the headphones for a few months now and without a doubt I’d recommend them to anyone. They’re perfect studio headphones and really takes your listening experience to a different level if you’ve never had a premium set of headphones before.
