THE NO.5909s are the first headphones of any description from Mark Levinson, and the company has elected to take the 'go big or go home' approach. Of the wireless models we've looked at recently, they've all resolutely stuck to sub-£500 price points. This pair blasts through that and comes in just shy of a grand - although perhaps that's to be expected from a company that sells stereo power amplifiers with five-figure tickets.
To justify the asking price of the No. 59095, they make use of the best Bluetooth implementation available - a v5.1 setup with LDAC, AAC and aptX Adaptive codecs supported. The former of those is the highest-bandwidth codec in common use and, so long as you have a compatible device to transmit from, it can (albeit with compression) handle 24-bit/96kHz material.
This wireless signal is then decoded and output to a pair of 40mm dynamic drivers. That's a fairly typical spec for a pair of portable over-ear headphones, except that these are made from beryllium, a material which is light and extremely stiff, but also expensive and a pig to work with. Presumably there's also been due care and attention focused on the driver housing and motor assembly, but Mark Levinson is reticent about digging too deep into its engineering here.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
AV Avenger
You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…
Feedback
Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help
M&K Sound V12
TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May
Short and sweet
Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig
Discreet delivery
A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff
One project, two rooms
Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek
System selector!
Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming
