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Flare Audio has a Kickstarter for distortion free headphones
Every company claims to have revolutionized the audio industry, but few have actually achieved it. Flare Audio founder Davies Roberts has used “applied physics rather than acoustics to re-invent the loudspeaker” with such success, that Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin is a believer. Building on that success, Flare Audio has decided to take what they’ve learned about sound and apply it to consumer headphones via a Kickstarter campaign for their new reference R1 and R2 series headphones.
One of the techniques used to make these products so unique is called Vortex technology. This gives the pressure that builds up behind the drivers a way to get out, drastically minimizing distortion. The other technique is Space technology which packs the materials together so tightly that they don’t resonate as much as other headphones. These two pieces come together to create the backbone of the audio revolution that Flare Audio is packing into their headphones.
The Reference R2 in-ears come in a couple of different options, all of which are said to be distortion free due to pressure-balanced 5mm neodymium drivers. There are the R2A in-ears (aluminum), R2S in-ears (stainless steel), and the R2PRO in-ears (titanium). Regardless of which one you choose, all of the housings are made of one solid piece of the material with precision holes on each side of the driver to help minimize reflections. The aluminum R2’s are supposed to emphasize clarity when it comes to bass and instruments, while the stainless steel R2’s provide a superior sound stage and frequency response. The titanium option is the top of the line R2 due to the atomic structure which helps the cylindrical design to be the most rigid it can possibly be, again minimizing reflections.
If you prefer a more traditional approach to reference headphones, Flare Audio has over-ear options as well. The first being the Reference R1-Mk2 headphones which features Dual Sided Vortex technology that allows pressure to escape from both sides of the driver. This allows them to be the first “fully open” headphones. They feature rotating ear cups that lay flat on your chest when not in use as well as hand-stitched memory foam ear pads and an anti-kink audio cable.
If sound mixing is your profession (or just that important to you), you might be more interested in the Reference R1 Pro over-ear headphones. These have the same perks as the R1-Mk2, but the material used for the enclosures are made of titanium instead of aluminum. They’re also meant for long studio sessions so the design is meant for comfort rather than flashiness.
Prices vary depending on which model you choose, so if you’re interested make sure to pledge now so you can save some money. The most expensive option is a limited edition R1 Pro that will cost you around $1700 while the least expensive option is the R2A in-ears in black for around $122. These products may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy quality sound they’re at least worth a look. At the time of this post there are 26 days left in the campaign and backers can expect to receive theirs sometime between June and October, depending on your chosen model.