If you’re far too rich and struggling to find ways of spending money, Sennheiser may just have the answer for you.
The company’s newly updated Orpheus headphones are electrostatic (see our Headphones tech: Dynamic vs planar magnetic vs electrostatic guide for an explanation of what this means) and come with a valve pre-amp.
Oh, and they cost $55,000 (just under £40,000).
For those with a penchant for the impractical and an inability to pass up opportunities for ostentatious displays of wealth, Sennheiser has you covered.
The amplifier sits on a solid block of marble, the type which, as Sennheiser’s website makes sure to note, was “made famous by Michelangelo’s Renaissance sculptures”.
And for those that know what gold-vaporised ceramic transducers are, it’s got them too.
Sennheiser’s Orpheus headphones originated in the 90s when the company embarked on a research mission to build the greatest headphones known to man.
The effort resulted in 2013’s Orpheus H90 headphones, only 300 of which were made, going for $16,000 (£12,000) each.
The newly ‘reborn’ versions took 10 years to make and add several updates to the technology.
Of course, all these features should add up to some pretty impressive performance, especially considering Sennheiser’s promise to provide “otherworldly sound and timeless beauty”.
The marble used for the base does more than signify your exorbitant wealth. Sennheiser claims it also helps to reduce sound distortion to 0.01%, the lowest distortion ever measured in a sound reproduction system.
The 8Hz to 100KHz frequency response also means that the new Orpheus headphones will produce sound so detailed, the human ear will be incapable of hearing it all.
So you can sit back and enjoy your original Coltrane on Impulse pressing while pondering the marvels of Renaissance art, safe in the knowledge that you’re not even hearing everything you’ve paid for.
Check out our smartphone buyer’s video guide below:
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
